Next To You
by iwritee
Summary: Cammie and Zach are childhood best friends. But the summer before Senior Year changes it all...whether they like it or not.
1. Chapter 1

**SO this is another attempt for another Gallagher Girls (NO SPIES) fan fiction. Tell me what you think.**

"Camme! It's toym fow schoo!" I felt hands shaking my forearms so that my face was being squeezed onto the pillows.

Ugh! Why couldn't he just let me alone for once? He was seriously getting into my nerves. One more shaking of my arm, I would hit him already!

"Camme!" he yelled right in front of my right ear.

I groaned as I got up from my bed, throwing him a pillow to his face.

"Enough with the British accent!" I yelled, throwing him another pillow. He wasn't getting the message, he was still laughing at me like I was some piece of joke.

He just got back from London with my best friend Liz, from a leaders' conference. It was called Global Leader's yadayada.

"Owright Camme, jus get op!"

I rolled my eyes. He could never be worse with the accent. I wanted to laugh too but that would give him the impression that waking me up in the middle of my sleep was okay and funny.

"Hullo? Can you leave my room so I could change?" I said in a matter-of-factly tone.

He grinned wickedly, eyeing me from head to toe. "It's not like I haven't seen you…"

I swore my cheeks flushed really badly. I just hid the redness of my cheeks by throwing him another pillow in the face, hoping it would divert his attention from my face. So what if he'd seen me before? It wasn't like my body was fully-developed already when he saw me naked. That was like second grade or something, when we still took baths together.

"Just go!" I shooed him.

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

I hated Zach so much. He was the one who always woke me up for school but he only ignored me when we were in school already. I knew he was just ashamed of being around me. He was the football quarterback and what was I again? Ugh…a mere peasant…Ugh! Cammie! Snap out of it! Enough with the drama! It wasn't like I was some kind of damsel-in-distress.

"Cammie, what's up? Where's your best friend?" Liz asked handing me a soda can. At least somebody cared about me.

"I don't know," I shrugged indifferently.

"Well if you see him tell him I need to talk to him. Urgent. Important. Please please?" she had this annoying begging look that I always bought.

"Sure." How could I ever say no to a very good friend of mine? If Zach didn't exist, she would've been my soulmate. Not like Zach was my soulmate or anything…I nervously opened the can and started drinking.

"Yeah when I see him, probably later." I said.

Liz mouthed a thank you and raced back to Mr. Solomon's class. It was only three days till the end of Junior year. I couldn't believe we were Seniors already. It seemed like yesterday we were just in Kindergarten and now we were about to end Junior year. I felt so old, ugh!

"Has anyone seen Goode?" I asked the rest of the football team, eyeing each of them. I fixed my eyes on the field too, hoping to see Zach there. But he was MIA.

"Zach? He is in the locker room, getting his things. Why? Do you two have a date?"

As if I'd ever date him.

"Nah."

"So that means you've broken up?"

Who the hell was this guy? Everybody in the team knew that Zach and I were childhood best friends. Was this some kind of insult? Was he an alien or something?

"Who are you again?" I asked, raising a brow.

He stood up and extended his right arm to my direction. "Grant. You must be Candy."

I just wanted to hit him in the face. What the hell? Candy? Seriously?

"Who the hell is this jerk?" I asked a football buddy of Zach. Everyone was letting out their _whoas_.

"Grant, this is Cameron Morgan. Cammie. Best friend of our quarterback. Not Candy. Cam-mie." He explained.

Grant went pink, shaking his head in disbelief. "Sorry Cammie. I just got here. I'm going to join the team next school year. I didn't know."

As if I cared!

"Zach's in the locker room, you could go there, he's the only one inside. He just went to get his things."

"Zachary?" My voice echoed in the locker room. I was having the feeling that Zach was just around the room waiting for the right time to scare me.

"Zach? Are you still here? I'm not messing around here I really need to talk to you."

Then I felt a warm air on the back of my neck all of a sudden. I was caught off guard. It took me a while to turn back to see who it was.

It was Zach grinning from ear to ear and his cheeks were about to rip apart.

"What the?" I muttered under my breath when I realized that he was half-naked and his hair was still dripping wet. He looked like he just got out of shower. White towel was wrapped tightly around his waist.

"What was that you wanted to tell me?" he was grinning wickedly when he noticed that I could barely breathe at the sight.

I was so distracted with what I was seeing, I just wanted to shut my eyes close till he clothed himself.

"For goodness' sake! Could you dress up first?"

He chuckled, licking his lips. "If you wish." When he left was the only time I was able to breathe evenly.

"What was that you wanna tell me that you couldn't say when I'm half-naked?" he asked with an irritated tone as if to tell me to just go away. He was already clothed and his hair was not dripping wet anymore. "That better be good because you disturbed my shower."

"It's about Liz," I started. "I think she wants to talk to you about something serious."

"Is that so? Then why are you here and not her?"

I rolled my eyes. Because he wouldn't have listened to her…

"Well, that, I honestly don't know. Just come over to her house or call her up."

He smiled wide all of a sudden exposing his bare white teeth. "I'm guessing you just made up that excuse to see me _naykid_."

When would he finally get over himself and his annoying British accent?

"Just call her okay?" I said as I turned my heel but his hand swiftly took grip of my arm, making me face him.

"So…why exactly did you come here?" he muttered under his breath.

I just didn't get why he even had to ask again.

"Liz asked me to."

He licked his lips, looking irritated. "So…are you the messenger now?"

"No," I said firmly. "I am her best friend too. You're not only my best friend."

"Lucky you, you're my only best friend…" he looked me in the eyes….


	2. Chapter 2

**I WATCHED HARRY POTTER PREMIERE AND I'M STILL IN A HORRIBLE HANGOVER. I can't believe it is OVER! I'm so sad. I miss Hogwarts, Platform 9 ¾, everything! And I miss SNAPE! DUMBLEDORE TOO! But I just loved the last scene! Hermione & Ron, Harry & Ginny, Draco & Astoria! J.K. Rowling is a legend.**

I had a very long discussion with my parents about being alone at home. We always did everytime both of them would spend weeks overseas, and it was nothing really new to me. But just lately, they'd been acting as if it were the first time they'd be leaving me alone in the house. Mom even asked Aunt Abby to check up on me, but I connived with Abby already. She knew what to do and what _not_ to do.

"So what'd your dad say, then?" Zach asked, faking his interest again. I knew he wouldn't have listened to whatever I was saying if I hadn't let him stay at home so he could have a decent dinner.

"Nothing." I lied. Dad said a lot of things. A lot of things that would surely bore Zach. He looked like he could pass out any moment already.

"So what's up with Liz?" I asked, hoping I could change the boring topic to a much more interesting one. I was best friends with Liz but there were things she couldn't tell me. Like her problems with her studies and a lot like those.

His eyes shut close then he started faking a snore. A very nosy one.

"Hey!" I slapped his back lightly, he still kept on faking the snore. I didn't want to seem like a stalker who wanted the latest news about Zach and Liz but before the London conference, they seemed to be hanging out more than before.

"She scolded me, you know that? She said that the student council should function. That I shouldn't just mess around playing football."

Yeah. That was Liz. No doubt.

I just let out a sigh. "Yeah, but…" I wanted to ask about the official _deal_ between the two of them, but then again, I didn't want to butt in to their private lives. Even though Zach and Liz were my best friends, I still didn't have the right to interfere.

"So tomorrow would be the second-to-the-last day of Junior year. Whadya wanna do?" he finally stood up, waiting for my response.

I honestly had no idea. In fact, I wasn't that excited. I felt like I was aging and aging and still…nothing happened. I was afraid to graduate high school with no change in me. Was it even possible to graduate from high school and nothing changed at all? Your hair was still the same when you were in eighth grade, and you were still the same old you?

"Uhh…I don't know. I might just go to your party, I guess." I shrugged, looking for the remote.

Of course, the quarterback would hold a School's Out party for everybody. That was practically the only role of any quarterback besides throwing the football.

"You are very shallow, Cammie." He grinned.

I just rolled my eyes. I usually told him he was shallow because he had nothing to think about but football and friends. I would understand that friendships matter to him, but there should be something more…

"Alright," I finally looked at him eye-to-eye. "What is it that you want?"

He bit his lip, his eyes doing _its thing_ again. Ugh. I hated it when his eyes did _that_.

"I want you to start thinking about the real world. We're gonna be in college soon…" he kept on blabbing but I felt like my ears didn't hear him. Yes, we were going to be in college soon, meaning, he would enter a very good university while I would be…I didn't know. There was just one thing I was certain about, I would take over my parents' business and there.

"Are you even listening?" he frowned. I nodded although I barely understood whatever he was saying.

"I said, you should make the most of high school. Why not get a job, hang out more, get a boyfriend or something?"

Only if it was _that_ easy. It wasn't like I didn't want to get a job but my parents would totally be in _inquisition-mode_ once I told them about me getting a job. I wasn't an outcast either, I just hung out less. And about the boyfriend part? I guessed it wasn't just me…I wasn't the kind of girl who'd rush things. I had several crushes, there was this hot new teacher, and the cute guy in the bookstore…I just didn't think boyfriends were necessary when you were in high school unlike what everybody was thinking.

"Okay…" I shrugged, not considering any of his proposed options.

"Um, I'll get you a boyfriend or something." He said.

What? It came out of his mouth like he was just talking about _food_.

"Why?" I squinted.

He shrugged, looking away. "I realized that for the past years of high school, you've been depending on me," he said and I just felt my heart contract. Was it bad to depend on your best friend? "I mean, we're best friends, right? But you've got to be with other people too. How I am with other people—"

"Alright." I cut him off with a very flat voice. I got the message. He wanted me _away _from him. He was probably embarrassed whenever he'd be seen with me. Like he didn't want to be associated with the loser Cammie. And I _wasn't_ entirely a loser. I had a good place in the social hierarchy, just not as high as Zach's.

I looked away and started slicing a cake. I couldn't believe this. He wanted me to have a boyfriend because he didn't want people at school to think we were together. Right. There was this weakening prick on my chest. I felt like I would sink down any minute.

"Hey listen," I cleared my throat. "I'm gonna go to bed now, I really need to get up early for tomorrow. Good night." I forced a smile and then rushed to my room, still being tortured by the annoying pricks on my chest.

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

Waking up was torture. I guessed I wasn't used to not being woke up by Zach. It was horrible to wake up because of the alarm clock. I wondered where Zach was, was he still sleeping or did he leave last night? Ugh.

When I reached the bathroom, I found a Post-It with Zach's handwriting saying he already left.

"Can you imagine this? Anna Fetterman's pregnant!" Macey McHenry, my seatmate, let out a gasp, her eyes widening with amazement although she'd said the lines more than ten times now.

"That's really…" I couldn't think of the appropriate words.

"I know," Macey nodded. "It's so bizarre. The father of her baby is a college guy whom she just met for a week. Can you imagine that?"

I didn't want to imagine. Anna Fetterman was a student whom I barely talked to. We never had the chance to have a really _real _talk, I couldn't even remember how she looked like.

"I can't believe this." Macey shook her head and I just rolled my eyes secretly. Macey was a kind of girl who had a habit of making and spreading rumors about everybody so people usually didn't talk to her, except for her Circle, composed of Rebecca "Bex" Baxter, Courtney Bauer and Kim Lee. They were cheerleaders, but not really as shallow as those in the movies, they were quite nice, friendly, and approachable, just very good gossipers. You could talk to them about anything, just be prepared…the school would know about it before you could even finish storytelling.

"So…what's up with your life lately?" she smiled.

"Ummm," I bit my lip. "Nothing much."

She nodded apprehensively. "You know you might want to not tie up your hair and were better shoes. Not that I hate your hair and shoes. They just don't suit you." she said in a matter-of-factly tone. I always tied up my hair because I barely combed my hair and I wore _these_ shoes because it was the nearest to reach.

"Okay, thanks for the advice Mace." I said as Mr. Solomon entered the room, he hugged three thick books to his chest. He glared when Zach entered the room with his friends, they were snickering.

"Bring out your books, please." Mr. Solomon said when Zach and Friends finally sat down.

"I need you to partner up and answer page one hundred eighty two on your notebooks, be prepared because I'll be going around to check if you're really working on it. You have twenty minutes. One minute per item."

It was a given. My eyes landed first on Zach. I wasn't afraid that nobody would want to have me as a partner because he was there. We always partnered together for anything, every time the teacher told us to partner up, Zach and I would always find each other's eyes and nod at each other, as if to say, _partners._ But he looked like he was already pairing up with the guy beside him. It was Grant, the new member of their team. Maybe he just didn't want him to be left out or something…

"Come on, Cammie," Macey pulled my chair near to hers. "Let's do this together."

**Please review guys! Let me know what you think! Also, let me know, if you're an HP fan, and let me know your feelings. I just can't believe they're not Hogwarts students anymore….ahhhhhhh!**


	3. Chapter 3

I ended up with Macey and I ended up figuring out the different kinds of figures of speech there was in the story. Macey spent most of the time babbling about Anna Fetterman and her boyfriend. Emily Sampson whispered to me that Anna Fetterman wasn't pregnant at all. Macey and the Circle just caught Anna kissing a college guy and that was it. Macey was just the kind of person who always jumped into really horrible conclusions.

"I'm so glad we already answered the questions!" Macey let out a _whew_. Technically, it was actually only me who answered the whole thing. All she did was talk and talk.

"Yeah…" I rolled my eyes at Emily's direction and we both giggled. Macey was too preoccupied to notice, she was busy eyeing at Zach's direction. I just prayed she wouldn't ask me why Zach and I weren't partners.

"So…who's the guy?" she smiled.

"Uhh…Zach?" I ate my words.

She licked her lips and frowned. "Not him, the other one."

"That's Grant. He's new in the team." I said without too much knowledge of what I was saying. It was like answering to your teacher's questions. You knew you didn't want to answer but you needed to.

"Oohh," she bit her lip. "He looks hot, doesn't he?"

Emily shot me a glare and I just did my best not to roll my eyes at Macey. Of course he was hot, and good-looking and everything, but did she really have to say it? Wasn't it obvious?

"Yeah," I rolled my eyes when she wasn't looking. Grant didn't look that _appealing _to me though because he looked so perfect. He looked like a greek god or something. He looked so good it was annoying already. Like a doll.

"I see," Macey bit her lip at me. "You like him, don't you?"

Of course. I did.

Of course I didn't! He was good looking, but there wasn't any spark when I first saw him. And he looked pretty plain to me. He was gorgeous, yes, but he didn't have this _certain_ thing. Know what I'm saying?

"No, Macey. But I think you do."

Macey looked at the ceiling and laughed. I didn't get the point of that either. "Nope. He's fine but not Macey's type." She smirked. She was probably not lying. I often heard she only went out with college guys.

"Okay, but I don't like him either." I said without becoming defensive.

Mr. Solomon was looking at our paper and gave Macey and I a cute thumbs-up as if to say we did a great job. I wished he'd know how difficult it was to do it alone.

"I'm impressed Cammie, I thought you wouldn't be able to function without Zach." He smiled. "I think it's good that you didn't pair up with him this time. It brings out the best in you. Keep it up." He said as he moved to the other pair.

"What? He didn't even mention me!" Macey frowned, crossing her arms to her chest.

Did Mr. Solomon mean I was better off without Zach? That was probably not true because I felt bad I was paired up with somebody else. I wished I did this seatwork with Zach and not with Macey. I think I would've done it better.

"Can you believe him? He seriously didn't mention me. He just shut me off like that!" Macey was still annoyed because Mr. Solomon didn't recognize her so-called _effort._

"It's fine, Macey. It's just a seatwork." I said, hoping it would calm her down.

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever, let's just talk about Anna Fetterman.

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

I was able to catch up with Zach when Math ended. I caught him by his arm when he was walking to the cafeteria. I didn't notice it was dismissal already. Tomorrow, it would be our last day.

"Hey, I didn't see you at lunch." I said when he finally stopped walking. He turned to face me. I was hoping more of an _Oh-I-was-looking-for-you-too_ look or something. But he looked like he wasn't expecting me or anything.

"Yeah, sorry, I had to do something in the library."

Zach was very academically-responsible but his shadow could barely be seen in the library. He wasn't actually the studious type although he was the smartest in our class.

"Library? Since when did you have a liking for books? And are you staying tonight? What do you want for dinner?" I said without any pause. I was catching for my breath already.

"Uhhh…actually I'm not staying tonight. I need to prepare for my party, I still need to get things done," he glanced at his watch. "Look, I need to go."

Yeah sure.

"Wait," I said before he could turn back at me. He turned to me again. "Are you avoiding me or something? Because in English, you didn't pair up with me. I'm not saying you're supposed to pair up with me all the time but you completely ignored me for the past six hours. Are you keeping your distance? Do you not want me to be around you, because if you don't, I'll stay away myself."

He swallowed. "I just don't think you should _always_ be around me. Don't you think it's a little bit weird that you always hang out with me? I mean, your only friend besides me is Liz. Who is by the way, not human. You should be friends with people who have a life. Liz—she talks about school most of the time and—"

I frowned. "And your point is?"

"I'm just saying that, it's not good that I'm your only _functional _friend. You're friends with Liz but she's too full of herself to even listen to you. I know you have other friends but…you know what I mean."

I completely didn't understand why he had to ignore me. Liz could be really academically focused and very full of herself but she listened to me when I had problems. The thing is, I rarely had problems so our friendship mostly revolved around _her_ problems. And it wasn't like I only had two friends. Liz and Zach weren't only my friends. I had others, Emily Sampson, and many more. Zach was just so close to me because we'd been friends for forever. And he couldn't change that.

"I don't know what you mean. You're telling me to _not_ hang out with you all the time because you want me to get a life? Maybe you just don't want people thinking I am your girlfriend. You're just embarrassed to be seen around me." I said flatly.

He shook his head irritated. "That's stupid, Cammie. I'm not embarrassed to be seen with you. I just—" he couldn't even make up any excuse.

"Fine." I felt my chest contract. "Then I won't hang out with you. I won't talk to you at school, at anywhere."

"You're silly, Cammie. It's not what I meant!"

"But it sounded like it is."

"Ahhh! Just…ugh!" he marched to the cafeteria, his feet stomping on the tiles.

I just didn't get the whole point of not hanging out. He could've just said that he didn't want to be friends with me anymore and I would gladly take it. I just didn't want him to make me think that he still wanted to be friends with me when the reality was he didn't want to anymore. I couldn't believe that tomorrow would be the last day of Junior year. How would I be able to function without my best friend? I mean, I spent my whole life with him more than my parents. Technically, that was true. We were always eating lunch at school and chatting and playing. So technically I spent my life with him more than anybody. My parents were always at work and whenever they'd be home, I would be in school.

To think that Zach didn't want to be friends anymore…I could live with that, but I could hardly live.

"I told you that best friend of yours is so conceited." Liz said when I told her everything. It was weird having her at my house on a school day. She usually just stayed at home reading books instead of _hanging out_ with me or going out. It wasn't because she took me for granted, she just didn't want to take studies for granted.

"Aren't you in love with him or something?"

She stopped whatever what she was doing and shot me a really scary look. "For god's sake, no!"

Note to self: Liz gets defensive about Zach.

When she realized I wasn't convinced, she stood up, preparing herself for another persuasive speech. "Whether you believe me or not, I do _not_ like the guy. He sucks. When we were in London, I realized how _dumb_ he is. Come on! I don't like Zach."

Yeah right. I laughed.

"Cam, you've got to believe me. The guy is douche. Shallow and douche."

He could be a douche but not shallow.

"Okay, fine. You think I like him? Fine. Just get over being best friends wit him. I'm not saying you shouldn't be friends, but you could always be _friends_. That's something nobody could ever take away from the both of you. But since he doesn't want to hang out anymore, you should move on. I'm your _other_ best friend, remember?"

I wanted to cry. But I wasn't that melodramatic. "Thanks. But that didn't make me feel better."

"How about some ice cream?"

**HEY GUYS! Next chapter would be the last day of Junior Year I am so excited! **

**AND BTW, I still am not over HARRY POTTER SADNESS. But I feel better now. I will always be a Potterhead. And…there's Pottermore, right? But STILL! **

**LOL.**

**Anyways, I really wouldn't mind Warner Brothers remaking Harry Potter. I would still watch it even if it still had the same story. **

**Okay, so I really want to know whom you think is better-looking together: Daniel&Emma, Rupert&Emma or Tom&Emma?**

**LOL. Only if you wanna answer.**

**Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

I didn't know how it worked but when I woke up, I felt really better than last night. I didn't have the whole _Zach-doesn't-want-be-friends-anymore_ mood. I was totally doing fine. I mean, come on! There was no reason to sob, it was the end of Junior Year! Summer, baby!

Macey was waiting for me by my locker. She had a Smoothie in her right hand which she handed out to me when she saw me stop by my locker.

"I'm so glad I saw you! I really really wanted to contact you last night but nobody would ever give me your number. Do you even have a darn phone?" she rolled her eyes, not in an offensive way, but in an exhausted way. I didn't know what it was that really exhausted her was. "So I asked Zach but he said he better not tell me, I thought about calling Liz but we're not close you know?" she rolled her eyes again. "So…I was wondering if you could join _us_ to this party."

_Us?_ Oh no. I didn't want to be with Macey's Circle. That would make this day really weird and wild. Bex, Kim, and Courtney were totally nice, but you know…they weren't really my type of people to hang out with.

"You can't say no." she raised a brow, her hand on her waist.

"Why not?"

"Because it's Zach's party. And he's like your best friend, right?" I wanted to correct her. Tell her we _weren't_ in good terms. But I knew she'd just spread rumors about it and then before I knew it, people would be assuming horrible things already.

"Okay. I'm going to the party, but not with you. I'm going by myself. We can always see each other there, right?" I hoped she'd agree. We'd definitely find each other in Zach's party, right?

She frowned. "Fine," she shrugged. "Just be there. If you want a ride or something, call me." She blew me kisses as she disappeared. As if I would even call her. As if I knew her number.

"Hey Cammie, are you coming to Zach's party tonight?" there was Grant, holding books to his chest, he looked like a Library Boy. I couldn't help but laugh at the sight.

"Of course I am." I said, shutting the door of my locker.

He smiled nervously, hugging the books tightly to his chest. "That's great. I'll be there too. Maybe we could go together?"

Sure. My summer was perfect. A gorgeous footballer just asked me out on the last day of Junior Year. By Senior Year, I already got a footballer boyfriend.

"I'm going too, aren't I?" I laughed nervously, hoping he'd get the message: I didn't want to go with him. I mean, I wouldn't mind him being at the party, I just didn't want to be on a date with him.

He bit his lip, more like chewed on it. "Okay…" he hesitated. "But I was wondering if I could pick you up and we'd go to Zach's beach house together…something like that."

Honestly. Not to be all hypocrite. I really wanted to go with him. I just thought that he wasn't bad at all. He looked good, didn't seem like a douche, and he was interested in me. These moments only happen once in every century.

"Uhh—" I wanted to say yes but I didn't want to sound all excited about it. "Okay, we could go together. I'll see you at the beach house, then?"

He bit his lower lip, and was thinking apprehensively. "Can I just pick you up? I'd really be glad if you'd let me."

"Okay, pick me up at seven?" my voice croaked. The bell for first period rang already and a book from Grant's arms was slipping.

"I'll be there at six thirty." He winked and started walking to his class.

I could barely move my limbs when the bell for Lunch rang. Just a few hours and Junior Year would be over. I couldn't imagine my second to the last year in high school ending, I just…it was bizarre. I felt old.

"Hey there cutie." Zach said when we were lining up to get our Lunch. He was holding a tray with three Caesar salads, four milk drinks and three large cheese fries. It seemed like he wouldn't be eating lunch with me. He was probably eating lunch with his _new best friends_. Not like it still mattered. He could have his life.

"Hey Zach." I said as I put a sandwich on my tray. I took a handful of napkin and headed to our usual table. Which was by the way, empty. Liz was probably in the library, doing some last minute retouches on her essay on Illegal Logging.

To my surprise, he sat with me. He placed his enormous tray on our table and slid down beside me. "So…" he nudged my elbow. "Aren't you excited?"

I should be happy he was talking to me, right? But I felt odd. Last time we talked he was telling me to hang out with other people and now he was…ugh.

"For what?" I started eating my sandwich while my eyes roamed around the cafeteria.

"For tonight! I set up the beach house already, and you're gonna love the decorations. I put in lots of balloons and really cool drinks and snacks. I hired this really fun DJ and—"

"I don't get it, why are you telling me this?" I finally looked at him. And he was taken aback.

"Why? I'm just telling you what I did for the party…" he was puzzled now.

"Yeah, last time you were telling me to stay away from you and now what? You know, you suck." I spat on him. And there wasn't any guilt inside of me because I knew I had the right to say those words to his face. I wouldn't have said those if he hadn't started the whole _not-friends-anymore_ thing.

"I didn't say you stay away from me. I'm just saying you hang out with other people too. That's all I meant."

I shrugged indifferently, rolling my eyes. "Sure."

"I'm sorry if you thought I didn't want to be seen around you. I just don't think it's right that your day-to-day life always has me in it."

"What's wrong with that?" I snapped.

He shook his head, he looked like he was in agony. "I'm just saying that you need to have other friends besides me. Not stay away from me. I wouldn't want that, you know that. I'd always be your best friend. All I'm asking is for you to look for other friends."

That was the whole dilemma! What the hell was looking for other friends for when I already got him and Liz and some other people?

"Honestly, I don't get anything."

"Okay. Forget about what I said. Delete everything. I just want you to be in my party. Can we not fight? I don't feel like fighting with you. It feels wrong." He was practically begging. It was funny already. I felt so gullible. How could I just feel okay for him already when he told me to stay away from me two days ago?

"Yeah, it's so wrong." I said, finally letting my guards down. I couldn't be mad at him for a long period of time. It was just so…_wrong_. Not right. We were like bound to always be together and happy.

"So what do you say? My mom bought be a new car, can you believe this?"

I couldn't believe I hadn't known about that.

"Really?" I felt my cheeks hurt from smiling too much. My threw my sandwich unto my tray, just focusing all my attention to him. "When'd this happen?"

"Yesterday. She said I've been really doing well in school so she bought me this really cool convertible."

I had several images of cars in my mind. "That's so cool!"

"Yes. And I'll pick you up later so we could go to the party together. I'm going to use the new car!" he was all excited now.

"Uhh," Ugh! Why? Why did I…Ugh! "Zach, I'm going with someone else already. Um, I could just see it during the party, right? You'd lend me the keys, right?" I winked at him.

He rolled his eyes, looking upset. "Darn. Fine. I thought I could pick you up with my new car. But anyways, of course, I'll lend you the keys."

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

**So guys, please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

Everybody let out their loudest yells when the bell that signified dismissal rang while I just froze while I leaned on my locker. My heart was beating really fast, really weird and my palms were sweating. In two months, I would be a Senior!

"There she is!" I heard Macey's voice. She was surrounded by her Circle. Courtney Bauer was waving really weirdly at me as if we were close and we haven't seen each other for years. Kim Lee was smiling very big. I didn't get these people. Why were they _this_ friendly? What for? It wasn't like they could get something from me.

"Hey Cammie." Bex Baxter nodded at me, her eyes focused on her phone. Her fingers were moving really fast I was afraid the buttons would fly away.

"We're gonna be in Zach's party and we'll see you there." Courtney smiled. She sounded a little bit _bossy_ but it was cool, she didn't look all bossy to me.

Macey nodded in agreement. "We need to go, sorry Cammie. We really need to pick the best outfit for Goode's party. And it would take us hours!"

I nodded, not even protesting. "Sure."

"Bye!"

I thought that Macey and the Circle were just messing around when they said it would take _hours_ to find the best outfit. But I was wrong. It was half-past six and I still couldn't figure out what outfit to wear. I wondered what Grant would be wearing. What if he wore something really casual and I wore something really out-of-place? It would be really weird to ask him what he'd be wearing, though.

I found a nice lacey white tank top, the one I wore two years ago for a very weird occasion. I slipped in it and then slipped into a black vintage mini skirt, it was the type of skirt your grandmothers wore. It had paisleys on it and in weird color. And it was one of my three mini skirts. It was the best of them. Imagine the other three…

I tied my hair in a loose bun, sprayed some perfume, applied some powder and _anti-chapped-lips_ gloss and I was set. Of course I didn't forget to brush my teeth, gargle and all those…

Grant was true to his word. He was already there by around six thirty four or something. He said I shouldn't hurry up because we were supposed to leave seven but I raced downstairs anyway, in my annoying three-inch heels. I wasn't really alien to heels, just not too comfortable, especially when I wore skirts four inches above the knee.

"Wow." He looked like he saw a really difficult Math equation when he saw me.

"I'll take that as a hi." I said as I walked to his direction. He was wearing polo shirt and dark jeans. His shirt hugged his body, and his hair just did the whole thing. It was a very huge relief to see that our clothes didn't contradict each other.

"Damn, I didn't know you'd wear something like that. I should've worn something more decent." He said nervously as he opened the door of his car for me. I slid onto the seat nervously, hoping we'd just reach the beach house. I hoped it wouldn't be awkward because if it would be…I wouldn't know what to say.

"You look really good. No joke." He said when we were already on the road. I could see that his fingers were shaking on the wheel.

"Thanks, you too." I said to the windshield.

I wanted to come up with something sensible to talk about but my head was so blank. I wanted to scream, the silence in the car was really awkward!

"I feel weird always saying this, but you really look good in that outfit. I mean, not only in that outfit, but—" he groaned and I just started laughing. "You're really pretty."

I took a deep breath and found the guts to finally face him. He was pale. "Thanks, Grant. Thank you."

He rolled his eyes. "I need to shut up, right?"

I bit my lip and he grinned at me.

"Can I ask you something?" he said.

I nodded as I played with my fingers. The thing that I always did when I was nervous. It always calmed me down.

"This is too personal, but I'll ask it. Do you have a boyfriend?"

When he noticed I was taken aback, he groaned, shaking his head several times. "It's fine, you don't have to—ahh!" I didn't know how to interpret his question.

I just laughed. He looked so cute when he did that. I could feel my cheeks flush. He looked so cute. Period. "No, I don't have a boyfriend."

He took deep breaths and grinned at me. "Here we are."

I sighed when I saw the cars that were parked in the empty lot. Beside was Zach's very famous beach house. Everybody loved his beach house because it was so private, so cozy, and of course, beside the beach. I loved that beach house because we always played Hide & Seek and Monopoly there when we were younger. We swam together, pretended to look for pearls and shells…

"Cam, I'll just get us some drinks. I'll be right back. Less than two minutes!" he smiled sweetly, walking backwards. I nodded and he went to the table of drinks. There were so many people in the place. The beach house was full of bright lights and there was the DJ booth a couple of feet away from the beach. The DJ was playing a feel-good song.

"Hey!" Zach squeezed my body to his. "Ugh! I missed you!" he murmured in my hair. Okay…we just talked a few hours ago…

I sighed when he pulled away. "Yeah, me too. So, can I borrow your car later?"

He crumpled his forehead as he checked me out from head to toe. "What in the world are you wearing, Cameron Morgan?" he was laughing. I just rolled my eyes.

"So can I borrow your car later?" I asked, ignoring him.

"Later? I was expecting you'd steal my car right now. Come on," he grabbed my hand. "Let's go for a ride!"

"Uh, sure, but I can't right now," I said nervously. Grant got back with two cups in his hands.

"Thanks, man!" Zach said to Grant, taking a cup from him.

"Oh, this is Cammie's, I'll get you one if you want." Grant grinned as he handed me my drink. I immediately drank from it.

"Okay.." Zach's eyes widened a bit. "Since when did you become nice to girls?"

Grant shook his head, rolling his eyes. He was laughing and it was cute! I wanted to pinch his cheeks! "I've always been nice to girls. You're the one who's not nice."

"For your information, you're being nice to my best friend. _My_ best friend. Not just some girl, remember?"

Grant grinned and slapped Zach's back. "Of course. I know you're best friends. We went here together so you're out of the scene for now."

Zach's eyes widened again, he was laughing at me. "You went out with this guy? Whoa!" Zach laughed so loud I wanted to punch him already.

Grant swallowed. "What's so wrong about me?"

"Yeah, what's so wrong about Grant?" I asked. Grant grinned at me.

Zach shrugged. "Just didn't think you'd mesh well. But yeah…anyways, what are you wearing Cammie? I didn't even know you own decent clothes. All my life I've always seen you wear those muddy jeans and rag-like shirts."

That was not true. I wore nice clothes, I just didn't like them lacey and short.

I laughed. "I'm going out with Grant so I thought it would be good if I wore something nice. I'm really uncomfortable actually, but no big deal."

Zach shrugged again. "Well, you look odd. Anyways, I need to pick up something, can you come with me, Cam?"

What was I, his servant?

"I think you can handle it on your own, right Zach?" Grant grinned.

Zach rolled his eyes. "No, I think I might need Camme. So if you'll excuse her…"

"Man, no, no, no," Grant shook his head, smiling. "Told you she's mine for tonight. You could ask that girl who's been checking out your ass ever since you got here." Grant pointed to the bleach blond girl a few feet away from us. She looked like she would eat Zach in any minute.

I laughed at Zach's expression. He was totally puzzled, not knowing if he should approach the hot girl or not.

"What happened to Zach Goode's charm?" I asked, nudging Grant's elbow as we giggled together, laughing at Zach's face. He looked really stupid. I couldn't help but laugh so loud. Grant was doing the same thing too.

"What's the matter? Afraid?" Grant said in a deep voice and we both laughed again.

Zach rolled his eyes, making us stop laughing. "I'm not afraid. I'm just not into the girl, alright?"

I managed to calm myself while Grant bit his lip, still concealing his laughter. "I know man, I know he's not your type. We were just joking."

I nodded, still couldn't get over Zach's _poker_ face.

"So Cammie, will you come with me, I'm gonna pick up a few things for the party." Zach asked, ignoring Grant who was still grinning and flushed-face.

"Well I'd go if Grant would come with us." I shrugged, looking at Grant. He shrugged and grinned, mouthing a _why not_.

Zach waved a dismissive hand. "Nah, my car's too small."

"Then I guess I'll have to stay here, sorry." I bit my lip hoping he'd understand that I was in some _kind_ of date with Grant and that he couldn't just pull me away from people.

"Sure, best friend." He smiled sarcastically. Ugh! Did he think I would be guilty? If he did, he was totally…_right_. I was guilty damn it!

"Where are we going anwyays?" I asked all of a sudden, ignoring his _guilt issue_.

"Gonna pick up some drinks, and some snacks." He said flatly.

"What if Cammie and I just get them for you? Dude, this is your party. You can't leave your own party. We'll just get them for you. What do you say?" Grant turned to me and to Zach.

Grant was _genius_. "Yeah, totally! We could use your car." I winked at Zach. I high-fived Grant, still couldn't believe how genius he was.

"Don't you think that the point of you helping me pick up the food is because I want to spend a little more time with my best friend in my new car?" Zach spat and he looked really hurt for the first time. I just hoped he didn't think I was the one who didn't want to hang out with him this time. I totally wanted to _hang out_, but this was just bad timing.

"You should go with him, Cammie. I don't want the quarterback glaring at me like that." Grant laughed, asking me to look at Zach's _weird_ expression. "I don't want to be bullied next year, you know?"

"Who says I'm gonna bully you?" Zach said flatly. For a moment, I thought Zach was going to hit Grant but he didn't. He laughed and slapped Grant's back lightly. "Man, I totally won't bully you! You go ahead pick up my food. I want them in half past eight. Pronto!" he got something out his pocket, which turned out to be the keys, and handed to me. The keys felt like gold in my hands.

"You. Have. A. Lambo?" I said with both eyes wide open, tracing the outline of the keys with my fingers. What the hell? A lambo for doing well in school?

Zach bit his lip as he nodded. "Orange."

Grant slapped Zach's back. "Man, you rock!"

"You suck. How could you have a Lambo when you're still in high school? That's so unfair! You're not even a good driver!" I was still tracing the outlines of the keys.

"Grant has a Ferrari and he's in high school too. Beat that!" Zach grinned. Grant blushed when I looked at him. Of course he didn't own a Ferrari. His car wasn't a beat-up either. Now, I wondered what brand of car Grant used when he picked me up.

"Of course he doesn't have that. He picked me up from my house and it was not Ferrari." I said. "Just admit it, you suck. Lambo in high school?" I laughed.

"He…what?" Zach crumpled his forehead, he was squinting at Grant's direction. Grant was playing with his fingers like what I always did when I was nervous. "Picked you up?"

I nodded indifferently. "Uh-huh. And it wasn't a Ferrari. I should know I rode in his car and it wasn't a sports car."

"That's not actually my car, Cammie," Grant finally looked at me. "It's my friend's. I didn't want to show-off with the Ferrari so I didn't use it when I picked you up. I just didn't want you to think I'm showing off."

What were they doing wasting money for cars? Did they have any idea how much those cars cost? And they weren't even paying for it. Their parents paid for it. How could they have it that easy?

"See? I'm not the only one with the good car."

_Good car?_ You mean, _insanely-priced_ car.

"Come on, Cammie," Zach smiled. "It's not like you can't afford a car like mine. Your parents are like money machines. They invented money."

"But I won't waste their money for cars. Especially when I'm not a good driver." I smirked at him and he inched closer to me.

"I didn't ask for it. Mom gave it to me, and thankful and appreciative as I was, I accepted it."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatevs," I shoved the keys to him. "I'm not going to drive that golden car. You'll regret it."

He got my hand, put the keys on my palms and enclosed my fingers unto it. "Drive it."

"No." I said firmly, handing him back the keys.

Grant touched my arm and I faced him. "You could just drive my car. It's old and it's less waste if you crash it. If you crash Zach's it would be a crime, that Lambo is new." I grinned at him.

I extended the keys to Zach and he took it.

"We should go, really. Where's that place you're saying anyway?" I asked.

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

Two thousand four hundred forty words! YEEE!

Please review!


	6. Chapter 6

How could this night suck even more? I just found out that Zach was totally lying about the _picking up the food and drink thing_. He really didn't have anything to pick up from anywhere.

"Man, you suck." Grant said, still laughing. I laughed with him too. Why wasn't Grant disappointed that we just missed another joyride together? Just when I thought I would be in a car with Grant…

How could Zach lie about these things?

"Sorry," Zach grinned. "I just made that whole picking up the food idea. If you check the tables, they're flowing with drinks and snacks."

"So what's the point of lying about it and making us argue about sportscars?" Grant asked. I was getting the hint that he didn't really like Zach's joke.

"Well.." Zach was grinning from ear to ear. "I wanted to take Cammie away from you. I wanted you to be alone in my party. That's why."

Grant squinted as the corners of his mouth curled up. "Man, that's not a good joke. How could you do that?" he was half-heartedly laughing.

"Because he's jealous." I smirked. And as expected, Zach protested, muttering things under his breath saying that he wasn't jealous. Of course, he wasn't jealous. (sarcasm). He was jealous because it had never occurred to him that I would find a potential boyfriend and he was still single. How insecure.

"He's just jealous," I told Grant, who was paying much attention to me than to Zach's protests. "He can't accept that he's still not taken while his best friend has found a potential boyfriend—" I SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID THAT. What the hell Cammie? Ugh. I felt blood rush to the veins in my face…

"So…you think I'm…boyfriend material?" he asked anxiously, his lips shaking a bit. It was SO cute.

Please Zach, save me from humiliation.

"Of course he doesn't mean you," Zach put an arm around my shoulders. "He means this other guy he met. Daniel, right?" he looked at me and suddenly, I didn't know just what was going on. Who the hell was Daniel? For a moment I thought about lying to Grant but I couldn't do it. He was too nice and honest to be lied to. And I didn't want to lie…that was it.

"Uhh—" Damn it.

"See?" Zach grinned at Grant. "She's so shy about it."

I removed his arm around me and fixed my top. "Whatever. I don't know any Daniel, you liar." I just felt my cheeks burn. Why did I even say that Grant was boyfriend material if I just met him? I felt so easy-to-get.

"So who's Daniel?" Grant's face was serious when he faced Zach.

Zach shrugged. "Ask her."

I rolled my eyes towards Zach. I didn't want to lie. I didn't know any Daniel. Well I knew one man, but he was our neighbor and he was around….fifty? And he wasn't called Daniel. Everybody called him Danny.

"He just made that up." My voice croaked. "There's no Daniel or Dan or whatever. Just forget about what I said."

Grant squinted at Zach and then at me. "Am I missing something here?" he was grinning a little now, which was a relief for me.

"Apparently, you just missed sixteen years of our life together." Zach said in a matter-of-factly tone.

"Man, I know you're childhood best friends, silly. What I mean is—"

"I was talking about you." I cut him off.

Zach nudged my elbow. I ignored him.

"Talking about me about what?" Grant's smile was widening and he was starting to blush more and more.

"She likes you, damn it!" Zach snapped all of a sudden. I let out an anxious laugh. Just when I thought he would be the one who'd save me…

"Really?" Grant's voice croaked.

"Can we just get inside and have something to eat? I'm starving." Zach pulled my hand and we walked inside the beach house—full of lights, loud thumping speakers, red cups everywhere…cheese fries flying around…

I took glances at Grant as I was being pulled by Zach inside. He didn't have any expression on his face, which sort of scared me for the first time. It was supposed to be our _little date_ and my best friend kept on interrupting.

"What is wrong with you?" I snapped when Zach finally let my hand go. We stood on the corner beside the bar. "You keep on interrupting. I won't be surprised if Grant gets pissed."

"Grant, pissed? Please." Zach frowned.

"Can I come back to him now?" I raised a brow. I was bumped by a drunk footballer, and some fluid was splashed onto my top but I didn't mind.

"No." he said firmly. "Why are you even here with him? Why didn't you tell me you were coming here with him?"

"Because I don't think you will care?" I said in a matter-of-factly tone. "You told me to make new friends, and you even told me to get a boyfriend."

"Grant?" Zach laughed. "Seriously."

"I'm not saying he's my boyfriend. I'm just saying that he is my friend and you just can't always butt in to our conversations like that. And where the hell did Daniel come from?" I was irritated now.

"I was trying to save your ass there. It slipped. You said you found your _potential boyfriend_. I was saving you from humiliation. You don't know how Grant becomes when he finds out that a girl likes him."

How could he just judge him? Grant was _his_ friend too. If he was able to judge Grant, there was a big possibility that Zach was judging me too.

"Zach! Come on, man, I told you she's my date." Grant stood in front of us, trying to reach for my hand.

"Don't you think that I have more right to be with her? I'm her best friend." Zach's tone was serious now, no hint of joke or unseriousness.

Grant looked at me, as if asking me what he should do. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what to say. It was hard to talk to Zach now especially now that he was getting hot and cold all the time.

"So is it all about the rights? Let's make a bet then," Grant let go of my hand, inching closer to Zach. "What about we race? If I win, I can spend time with Cammie anytime I want."

Zach smirked. "And if I win," Zach's face was so serious I wanted to laugh already. But in moments like these, my cheeks just didn't feel like laughing or even smiling. "You stay away from her."

"That's not fair," Grant frowned. "Just because I lose, I can't talk to Cammie anymore? That's not realistic."

"What? Afraid?"

"No, but I know you're gonna do everything just to win this."

"What about short-term? Who wins will spend the night with Cammie without any interruptions?" Zach smirked at my direction.

"What am I? Some kind of prize in a contest?" I chuckled. This was really fun. I felt like those pretty girls in the movies whom guys fought over. Ha-ha. This would be fun. I loved watching car races.

It wasn't car racing. It was Jet Ski racing. Those motorboats…I didn't even know you could race with those things.

"Man, you are a genius!" Zach giggled as they approached those lame watercars.

"I know. But remember, we've got a deal. If I win, you stay out of our lives tonight." Grant said softly to Zach so that the audience wouldn't know. Everyone in the party thought they were just watching two guys race in water at night. They didn't know it got something to do with me. As if that mattered.

"_GET. SET. GO!" _Jonas, the skinniest of the footballer, yelled and Zach and Grant started racing. I could barely hear the sound of the crashing waves and the motor of their Jet Skis because of the wild and loud cheers of people. For a moment, I thought that Jet Skiing at night was really crucial, but if they used cars on land at night…it was dangerous, too, right? And who cared? It was really fun watching races like these.

"Come on, Zach baby!" I heard a girl yell. I needed to puke. Zach, _BABY?_ Ugh.

Several girls also cheered for Grant. I had to not react to this.

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

**I don't know if this is a cliffhanger or what, but anyways, I'll just leave it to that. I'll upload maybe tomorrow? **

**I'm really excited about this story. I love Zach. And I love Grant too!**


	7. Chapter 7

I could see both Grant and Zach, and I could tell that Grant was leading. He was a little bit ahead Zach. I wanted to see Zach's _losing face_ and laugh at it. Everybody was letting out their cries and gasps, praying that their bets would win. I heard a bunch of Sophomores bet on Grant for twenty bucks and started rejoicing when they realized Grant was leading.

The Jets were nearing the shore, probably thirty to fifty meters away only. I just knew my heart was racing too as they raced in the waters. I didn't know whom to choose to win. If Zach won, I'd be really happy because he was my best friend, but that meant no Grant for tonight. If Grant won, I'd be really happy because I wanted to spend time with him, but that meant no Zach for tonight, and I was sure I wouldn't be able to enjoy the night without him. But I wanted to spend time with Grant too! Ugh! Ahhhhh-

"Grant, kick ass!" a Freshman yelled.

"Go Zachary!"

Just a couple of meters away…Zach was leading, and then Grant was…..AHHHH!

I had to shut my eyes so that I wouldn't see who was winning. Everybody was yelling, applauding and getting wild.

I slowly opened my eyes and here he was.

"Sorry, man, I hate to beat you but I did it so I could spend time with Cammie." Said Grant, the winner of the Jet race. Zach was soaked from water…and from anguish.

"Whatever." Zach didn't look at anyone. "Cammie, just remember, you can call me just in case you need me."

He walked to me and wrapped his arms around me, soaking my very _good_ outfit. Yes, it was my best outfit so far…

"Are you tearing up?" I teased when I pulled away from him. He was such an actor. It was just a night without him, like it would kill the both of us…he'd managed to shut me off his life for a few days….

"No, but if Grant rapes you, of course I'll weep." Zach grinned, lightly hitting Grant's arm. "Take care of her you creep. Or I'll make your life hell next year."

"I don't need you to say that, Zach. Believe me, I will." Grant grinned at me anxiously, hoping he hadn't offended me. To tell the truth, I didn't feel anything but pure happiness. Grant had this _thing_ in him that made you not want to hate him.

"You'll hate me for this," Grant said as he parked his Ferrari by the beach. "I hadn't really prepared for this."

He was crazy. I thought he would bring me somewhere like a romantic dinner or to the theatres…but there we were, hanging out at the beach. Wasn't Zach's party at the beach too? I felt my lips curl up. This only meant Grant just wanted to be alone with me.

"Yeah, this is also a beach, if you noticed." I said, taking my heels off as I sat on the sand. The breeze was doing its wonders with my hair.

"Sorry," he bit his lip. And I couldn't describe how I felt when he did that. He was just so cute! "I actually didn't for Zach and I to have a bet about you. But I couldn't think of any way for him to leave us alone…"

"It's fine," I flashed him a comforting smile. "Sometimes, Zach needs to be reminded that he's not always the winner."

"Funny, but he always wins." Grant pursed his lips. "He was actually ahead of me when we were in the waters, he could win right there, he could win the bet but he slowed down his speed all of a sudden."

"What do you mean?" I said when Grant sat beside me. We were both facing the beach, letting the waves touch our legs.

"I have the feeling he lost on purpose."

"What?" I almost spat. Losing was not in Zachary Goode's dictionary. And of course, no crazy man would do that on purpose.

"Maybe he thought you wanted to spend time with me, and he just lost on purpose." He shrugged, not looking at me. His eyes were busy watching the waves…

"If he wanted me to spend time with you, he could've just allowed me to. Why did he even race?"

"Because he's a guy. He wouldn't want to back down without a fight." He finally looked at me and for a moment, Zach's _losing_ face flashed in my mind. And I felt like I had lost too.

Grant dropped me to my house in less than an hour of hanging out by the beach. I believed he also felt bad about abandoning Zach in his party. He kept on apologizing by even bringing up the _race_ thing, but I kept on reassuring him it was fine.

"I'll see you." he waved as his car disappeared. I took a deep breath when I reached the front door. Why did I feel so guilty when I knew I had done nothing wrong? Was it wrong to abandon Zach in his party because I wanted to spend time with Grant? He made a bet about it, that meant he knew he would either win or lose. But still. I felt bad.

"Hey," I heard Zach's tired voice from the living room. He was stuck in the couch, watching a Cooking Show. Something he never knew existed.

I wasn't entirely surprised that Zach was there in my house. He knew everything about this house, including the secret passages and the places where my parents hid the emergency keys…he knew a lot about me and my life.

"Hey," I didn't know what to say. "What are you doing here? Is your party over yet?"

I bet I knew the answer to this. Zach's party always lasted till five in the morning, when everybody was already wasted.

"No, it's still happening," he stood up and switched off the television. "I told Jonas to watch over the house, you know him, he doesn't drink. He could watch over those teenagers till they pass out."

"You should go back to your party." I said as I slipped out of my heels. The feeling of carpet on my strained feet felt like paradise.

"Why? Do you and Grant need more room?" he frowned, walking closer towards me. He smelled alcohol. It was horrible.

"Zach," I tried to laugh it off but he was obviously not going to change his expression. "Grant left. And we're not going to do anything."

His face didn't move. "Sure. Because you already did something."

If Zach wasn't drunk, I would've hit him in the face. But Zach was always like this when he was under the influence of alcohol—tackless, annoying, and jerky. I was used to the jerky Zach, but I was never used to the doubting Zach.

"Yeah. We had sex." I said flatly.

His face didn't move again. "Knew it."

I rolled my eyes, couldn't stop myself from grinning. It was fun talking to a drunk Zach, and tiring at the same time. "Do I look like I'm the girl who will just give it all in the first date?"

He rolled his eyes. "No."

"Then you should know we didn't do anything," I smiled, touching his arm. "You've got to stop drinking, you know that?" I said as I started walking towards the stairs but Zach stopped me.

"How could you just leave me with that guy?" his voice was pained. He sounded like an abandoned child complaining to his parents.

"You agreed on a bet. That was a game, Zach." I said in a matter-of-factly tone.

He licked his lips, annoyed now. "I lost on purpose, I let Grant win."

_Of course._ It came from Grant's mouth…_Zach always wins…_

"I let him win to find out if you'd really leave me or not. And you did. How could you just do that? I really thought you wouldn't leave with him. I _really_ believed I matter more to you than any other guy."

The drama came here…

"It was a bet. I had to be true to my word, you know? I agreed on your bet too, remember? Grant won, I had to come with him. And besides, we really planned on coming back to your party, it's just that…I wanted to go home."

He turned his back to me and headed back to the living room, the remote control in his hand. I had to make him talk to me. Drunk Zach always walked out on people.

"Hey," I slapped his arm a little bit hard.

"Just get to bed, Cammie, rest." His voice was so flat and fake. He didn't say that because he cared about me. He only said that just so he would have something to say.

"Are you jealous of Grant? Because if you are, it's totally fine. I'll stay away from him." When would he be able to admit it?

"You don't have to stay away from him."

"Are you jealous?"

"Do you like him?"

"Yes!"

"So you like him. There it goes. It slipped from your mouth again." He said flatly.

"Are you jealous?" I finally had the courage to ask, without any hesitations. There was pure seriousness in my voice, and I was afraid. I'd been keeping this stone in my chest ever since.

He didn't react at first. He just took a deep breath. "Of course I am not jealous. Why would I be jealous?"

"Because you realized that it's hard seeing your best friend hanging out with other people? You know what? That's how I felt too when you kept on shutting me out of your life. It's worse than worse." Of course I wasn't crying. I wasn't a crybaby. My voice just croaked but I was far from tearing up.

"Why would I be jealous? I was the one who wanted you to hang out with other people. I'm not jealous, alright? I just don't think Grant is the one you should like."

"Why not?" I snapped.

"I don't know…" he shrugged. "I just don't like him."

"But what if I do?" I snapped again.

"You can't."

"You _cannot_ dictate me!"

"I know," he frowned. "I know I've been pushing you away lately but I—I can't be _away_ from you. Grant apparently likes you, and if you like him back, you're gonna be together and what would that make me? Can you imagine what would happen to us?"

Now I wanted to cry. Where would I find a best friend like him in the world? The look on his face made me want to hug him tight and never let go…this was my best friend!

"But why did you tell me to get a boyfriend, then?"

"I don't know!" he was frowning, forming creases on his forehead. "Damn it! I just didn't think it would be hard seeing you getting close to other people."

"Other people or other _guys?_"

"What does that mean?" he spat.

"You still haven't answered me straight. Are you jealous of Grant?"

"No!" his voice was firm.

I swallowed and nodded. "Thank you, I am relieved."

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

**So guys, you all know me, I am very dramatic.**

**Look how this chapter turned out?**

**LOL. Please review. **


	8. Chapter 8

I woke up with Zach beside me, he was grinning at me like he was a kid and I was his favorite toy.

"Hey cutie," Zach wiggled his brows. "I've noticed you screaming out my name while you were sleeping."

Like I would _ever_ buy that.

"Nice try," I said as I got up, fixing my hair.

He looked serious, as if to tell me that he was not kidding. But I knew him so well to even believe his lies.

"So anyway," he rolled his eyes, thankfully, he was over the whole _Me-screaming-his-name-in-my-sleep _issue. "What are your plans for summer?"

I had a lot of plans, I just did not know how to carry them all out. "I don't know, I think I'm going to take a break for now. Junior year squeezed the fun out of me."

He licked his upper lip, trying to comprehend whatever the hell I was saying. "Okay…but I was actually going to ask you to go out. But it's fine if you just want to stay."

My eyes immediately landed on the huge clock in front of me, and it said two in the afternoon. I wasn't even surprised why my head felt so heavy. I slept for twelve freaking hours. Something I never imagined I'd be able to do.

"Where're you going to take me?"

"I'm not telling, just fix yourself first and we're gonna go out."

When I left the bathroom, Zach was not in my room anymore. I kind of guessed that he realized it wasn't really appropriate for us to see each other naked anymore.

I slipped into something really casual. A black shirt and dark-wash jeans. I slipped onto my Chucks and headed downstairs, seeing Zach's typical get-up.

"I was expecting you to wear something _lacey_." He said flatly.

"Why would I wear something lacey?" I asked indifferently as I headed outside. I found his orange Lambo there, parked in a really _professional driver_ way.

He opened the door for me and I mouthed to him a _thank you_.

"You look good. Honest." He said to the windshield. There was this weird barrier between us that I couldn't get over. I didn't know if he still remembered what he even said last night. And I wished he didn't because I didn't want things to get awkward.

"Thanks," I told my hands, which had been shaking for some time now.

"So...can you tell me what happened last night? I don't want to sound all-gossip_y_, I just want to know what happened with you and Grant." His lips were twitching as he let out the words. Maybe this was what he'd been keeping from himself.

"Nothing," I rolled my eyes. I was really hoping we were going to talk about something else. "We didn't do anything. I had to go home early."

He nodded. "Look," he glanced at me. "I'm sorry for last night. You know how I do when I'm drunk. Right?"

I bit my lower lip and nodded. "It's cool."

"What is cool?"

"Things?" I suddenly felt like this conversation was going nowhere. And it was totally awkward I wanted to just disappear from that scene already.

"If you're worried that I don't want Grant for you…" he breathed. "Don't be. I mean, I'm not totally alright with you being with him, but I guess, it is your life. I can't do anything about it."

How many times did I have to say that I just met Grant and there was no way I'd be together with him already?

"We're not together, okay? I barely even know him. I just met him days ago." I said.

"Sometimes it doesn't matter how long you've known a person. When you have _a thing_ for each other, it will just…BOOM," he chuckled. "Ya know what I'm saying?"

I totally did.

"Hello there, darling!" Mrs. Goode wrapped her slender arms around me. I felt my ribs crush or something when she squeezed her body to mine. "I missed you so much, Cammie."

I took a deep breath when she let go of me. "Hi Mrs. Goode, it's really good to see you."

"So, where are your lovely parents? I haven't talked to Rachel for weeks!" she said as she led us to the dining room where she had set-up for snacks. Snacks meant flowing main courses, desserts and smoothies.

"Well…mom and dad are in a business trip. A very long one." I rolled my eyes to Zach, who just grinned.

"I can't believe how fast the both of you have grown up. It seems like just yesterday, Rachel and I were having problems with our parents. And now…" she let out a sigh. "Oh, Cammie. You've changed a lot. You've grown into a beautiful woman."

I let out a weird smile while Zach looked disgusted. "Mom, seriously? A beautiful woman? And the last time I checked, I was _your_ child. _It is me _you gave birth to, not Cammie. In case you've forgotten."

And there was the attention whore.

"What can I say, Zach? Cammie just changed a lot over the past few years. And you haven't. You've been like that for so long. Not that it is a bad thing." His mother pushed a tall glass of smoothie to me and I thanked her.

"Yeah," I said to Zach. "You've always been an achiever, heartthrob, and all those. Nothing really changed."

Sometimes I even felt insecure when I was around him. He was this very perfect friend and I was just like some kind of sidekick who never really got recognized by people.

Zach rolled his eyes. "Heartthrob? I don't even have a girlfriend."

Not having a girlfriend did not mean you weren't a heartthrob. I'd bet that if Zach posted an announcement that he was looking for a girlfriend, every girl at school would practically apply.

"Maybe because you're tired of girls already. You've always had a girlfriend, Zachary. And I'm happy you're taking a break." Mrs. Goode didn't sound pleased, her lips were pursed but I knew she wasn't pleased.

"Is this about the girl you caught me with?" he lowered his voice.

Who the hell was _the girl his mom caught him with_? I suddenly felt alien in the house of my own best friend. I had the feeling that he was not telling things to me anymore.

"No, Zachary," Mrs. Goode put down her fork in a very calm manner. "This is about you manipulating girls in general."

Zach just let out a laugh. "Can't help it."

Mrs. Goode didn't smile at all. "It doesn't mean that if you're attractive enough to get to girls, you'll always make them fall for you just _because you want to_."

My goodness, why had I even come to this house? I was actually expecting something _peaceful…._

"I'm not dating anybody right now, if that's what's going to make you feel better." Zach said as he sipped into his smoothie.

The first thing that popped into my head when the snack time was over and Mrs. Goode already went to her bedroom to rest was the issue of the girl Mrs. Goode caught him with. What the hell was that about? Why hadn't I known about it?

"So tell me about the girl." I said, watching him browse to random magazines spread onto the coffee table.

"Which one?" he smirked, leaning on to the couch, crossing his arms behind his head.

"The girl your mom caught you with. Who the hell was that? Why didn't you tell me your mom actually caught you? And when did this happen?"

He was grinning evilly before he stood up and walked to me. "And why are you so interested? Are you jealous?"

Now I was the one jealous. Ugh. It was annoying how Zach could actually manipulate things to change the real topic of a conversation.

"What do you think?" I frowned. "Absolutely not. I just want to know about this girl and why? Why hadn't you told me about this?"

He licked his lips, still smiling. "So yes, I met this college girl and we had a fun time together. Met her at a party. And we did it in my car. We couldn't make it to my room so we had to do it in my car."

That was too disturbing. Especially coming from Zach's mouth. He said it like it was a normal thing, like it was not something serious. He practically had sex and he was narrating it like it was just some boring bedtime story. I couldn't believe I became best friends with this kind of guy.

"Why can you even manage to smile? Don't you feel bad about it or something?" I frowned, crossing my arms to my chest.

"The girl is in college." He proudly announced.

"That's not even the point!"

"Then what is?"

"It's about you having sex with girls you barely know. And acting like it's normal when it is absolutely not. When have you become this person? I don't think I'd become friends with someone like _the person you're becoming_."

"Then don't be friends with me, there's nothing stopping you from _unfriending_ me. Go ahead." He snapped.

No. Not again. Not another fight, please! I didn't want to spend summer all alone. Friendless and heartbroken.

"I'm confronting you and because you don't like to be confronted, you tell me to not be friends with you anymore. Does that sound mature?"

"No, miss smarty pants. Can you just stop nagging about everything? It's driving me mad," he spat. "I told you about what happened and you freak out and get mad at me. Why had you even asked about it in the first place? I shouldn't have told you. That's actually the reason why I hadn't told you this before. I knew what you were going to say!"

"You're right. You shouldn't have told me about that. Because that totally changed my view of you. I used to not believe those girls who always said that you were a jerk because I believed that you were just being misjudged, but now…I think I'm going to start to believe them already."

"Then go ahead!" he yelled, making my eardrums vibrate.

"You don't have to yell at me." I said, creasing my forehead.

"Just get the hell out of here."

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

**Drama…drama…please review!**


	9. Chapter 9

"So Cammie, it's Grant. I hope you do remember," I heard him laugh from the speaker of my phone. "I'm holding a party tonight. Since we weren't able to really party last night…and I'm really expecting you. You're the reason why I even held this party. I actually had to bug everybody to set up this party. So I'll see you. If you want me to pick you up, just tell me. If you don't call me back, that just means you're going by yourself. I'll see you." then the speaker died.

I wished I hadn't fought with Zach so I wouldn't have to walk home alone. Although Zach and I were practically neighbors, it still felt bad having to walk home alone. I felt so friendless.

I wished Liz was here. I wished I hadn't even raised my voice at Zach and he probably wouldn't have kicked me out of his house. But I was not the only one who was wrong, right? He was so wrong too, and very rude. And he yelled at me.

I texted Grant telling him I could really use a good party tonight. Maybe that was what I needed after all. I needed to take a break from all the drama and the whole Zach-Cammie-Friendship-Over issue.

I immediately buried my face onto the couch, sniffing every dirt in it. I hated summer so much. Why was summer even difficult and stressful? It was supposed to be carefree and fun, but why was I stuck at home, at the brink of being friendless?

"You suck at walking home alone, you know that?" I heard Zach and I immediately glanced up to see if it really was him or just my imagination.

It was really him.

"I think I forgot to say sorry." Zach's eyes went away from me.

I rolled my eyes. "No use. It's cool."

It was funny how I could just forgive him without even thinking about it. Like I had no strength in me to ever take a grudge against him.

"I just don't want you nagging about what I should or should not do! I don't want being told what to do." He sat beside me, squeezing me to the other side.

"I can't help it. I always nag."

"Then hear me out, first."

I looked at him intently, waiting for his explanation.

"That college girl, I didn't sleep with her. We were just making out and all that stuff…not going beyond. And I know it's still wrong. But—"

I actually didn't get his point. The argument was not exactly about him giving everything to a girl he barely met. It was so much more than that. So much more than just making out.

"Can we just forget about that? It's a weird topic." I said.

He rolled his eyes and smiled. "So I'm guessing we're still friends?"

What the hell? Was that even a valid question? I didn't think one of us could even bear not being friends with each other even for a day. We did try and it sucked. It took the best out of us.

"What's up with your mom? She seems so frustrated about you having girlfriends." I asked as I got the remote. I started browsing through the lame channels. How could cable be this _boring_?

"Well…I guess she's upset that I still haven't found _the girl_."

I laughed a little too hard at this. _The girl_. The way it came out of Zach's mouth…it was so funny.

"Maybe because it's too early for you to meet _the girl_," I said, still laughing. "You're just seventeen. You won't be able to find _the girl_ till you're around twenty five or thirty or something."

"She's saying I already met her."

I looked at him intently, waiting for him to go on.

"She's saying I've known her for years now."

My heart stopped here.

"She's saying it's you."

I just scratched my head, hoping that there was no hint of any _redness_ on any of my cheeks. "Well you could remind her that we're actually best friends, we're off-limits like that."

He nodded. "Yeah I told her."

I just nodded.

When I reached Grant's house, the first few people I saw were Macey and her Circle of friends. They all waved in my direction and flashed me their sweetest smiles.

"So I was checking out some new outfits a while ago, and there was this guy who came up to me and smiled and I was like, _why are you smiling at me like an idiot?_ And he still kept on smiling and I fi—" Courtney Bauer was cut off by Macey. Macey waved a dismissive hand, making Courtney shut up.

"Courtney," Macey said. "You are so shallow. Right, Cammie?" Macey turned to me, smiling sweetly than ever. I actually had no idea what this _niceness skit_ was all about.

"Uh…" I couldn't even figure out the words to say.

"You're looking good, Cammie. Nice clothes." Bex said, checking me out from head to toe. Apparently, I was able to find proper clothes for this kind of party. Everybody was wearing tank tops and shorts, and I wore the same thing too. I just couldn't believe I was following the norm…I was never the person who followed the trend.

"Thanks, Bex. You too." I said.

"Enough with the lame compliments," Macey cut me off. "I know we're all excited for summer and now that's it's already summer, it seems to me that we're not really making the most of it. What do you think?" she looked at Courtney, who was still annoyed being cut off.

"What is your proposition, then?" Kim Lee asked, her lips twinkling under the bright lights.

"I suggest we spend a week or so in my cabin, it's just a couple of hours drive from here. It's beside a very beautiful beach and it's like a Beach Club, we're going to meet a lot of people there and you know—" Macey was catching for her own breath.

"You mean a place where you could meet college guys?" Bex crumpled her forehead, obviously not too pleased with Macey's suggestion.

"Yes, but that's not the best part," Macey smirked. "But of course that's a good thing."

Courtney looked up, waiting for her to be heard by everybody. I really hoped she was thinking of something really sensible. "We're going to invite Oliver, right?"

Kim's eyes lit up. "And Sam, too, of course. Right?"

Bex turned to me and rolled her eyes. "Of course Macey's going to invite the whole football team."

"You're not going to invite Zach, are you?" I asked, I felt my lips trembling. If Zach would be there, I was sure I wouldn't go.

"Of course," Macey said proudly. "And Grant, too."

I felt my cheeks flush. Why did I always have to _react _when Grant's name would be mentioned? Ugh.

"So?" Bex frowned.

"_SO?_ Our summer is going to be really fun! And I don't want Cammie to think that I'm discriminating, so my beach house will be open to everybody in our year who'd want to come." Macey said, again, too proudly.

"How big is your beach house anyway?" Kim snorted.

"Trust me," Courtney sighed. "It's way bigger than you think it is."

"And you should really come—" Macey stopped when she noticed the football players coming inside, wearing identical varsity jackets. "Speaking of…"

"Cool. I'm gonna talk to Oliver." Courtney bit her lip anxiously and started moving towards the bunch of guys circling the snack corner. "See ya." She mouthed.

"So?" Macey turned to me, with an expression showing that she was annoyed already. "You're coming with us, right?"

So much for the _pressure…_

"I don't think so…" I said with so much hesitation going on in my head. I wanted to come with them because I wanted to bond with everybody, and it was our last year together, right? But I still couldn't remove the fact that these things were not actually the things I usually did.

"What do you think are you doing bullying her?" I heard Grant's voice behind me, he smiled at me and I just nodded.

"I am not bullying your girlfriend. I was just asking her to come to my beach house." Macey creased her forehead, crossing her arms to her chest as if to tell everybody she wasn't in the mood to converse with anybody.

"Well, I guess Cammie is _well_ convinced," he grinned sarcastically. "Let's go Cammie, I've been looking for you everywhere."

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

"Tell me exactly why you're talking to those girls," Grant said when we finally found unoccupied, and _clean_ seats. Apparently, all the chairs in his house had drink spills on them and if not, snacks stains.

"I'm not sure," I shrugged as I grabbed for the bag of chips lying on the table, exposed to the air. I stuffed a handful into my mouth. "They usually just talk to me when they want to spread rumors or gather them."

"You know that girl," he was pointing to Bex, who was pushing people out of her way. "We went out for a while last summer."

_Game over._

_ Dead end._

So that was why he wanted to spend time with me…to get close to Bex _again_. What was I thinking? This was Grant, a totally gorgeous and cool guy. Why the hell in the world would a guy like him like me for real?

And Bex was really pretty tonight…

Damn. I should've worn something lacey…

Ugh!

"Okay.." I just hoped badly that no disappointment was visible in my face. "Bex, I think she's the most normal of those girls."

And I wasn't lying. Bex was the only one who didn't speak _dumb and clothes_. She was practically the outcast in Macey's Circle. I wondered why she even put up with those girls.

"So we went out," he cleared his throat. "She's really nice and cool."

AND YOU HAD TO RUB IT IN!

I grinned, trying to act all calm when the truth was my insides were practically having a riot already. How could he talk about another girl with me? Wasn't that very unethical?

"Yeah," I laughed anxiously. I was so stupid, damn it. "She is."

"So…have you dated someone I know?" he turned to me so eagerly, the look on his eyes made me feel like he wanted to squeeze all the information out of me.

"Umm," I swallowed. "No, I don't think so."

"What about Zach?" his eyes lit up. I was having the feeling like I was talking to a ten year-old kid asking for candy.

"Zach? Well…he's like my brother," that didn't sound right. "He's like more than a brother. We're really close. I mean, really _close_…"

He sighed. "Obviously, you _are_ close. What I'm asking is…have you ever dated or something? Well, I'd be leaving you here if you're going to tell me you never went out or kissed or even tried."

"You can leave me alone here now." I grinned.

"Come on!" he whined. "Tell me. I won't spread about it, I won't react, won't laugh. I just want to know if he's a competition."

_What the?_

"Well, if Zach's your problem…he's not into me and I'm not into him. And you don't have any competition or whatever." I said, totally getting uncomfortable now.

"So when did you decide it wasn't going to work?" he pursed his lips.

"What do you mean?"

"When did you date and realize it wasn't going to work? That you're better off as friends?"

I felt droplets of sweat fall from my neck to my backbone. So much for the tension… "We never dated. That's because we've always been just friends."

He frowned. "So you never really tried it?"

"What for? We're best friends. More than best friends, actually."

"Cammie!" his tone was rising. "You'll never know until you try. What if you just wake up one day and realize you're into Zach? And he's unavailable…are you serious? The two of you never dated or anything…never kissed or..?"

I wanted to laugh, but that would just make him think I was hiding something. "Kissed? Nah," I said casually. "We're good friends. Friends don't kiss each other. And besides, he's not my type. And I'm not his type."

"Are you sure?"

Game over.

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

**I am so sleepppy….but I really want to upload at least one chapter per day so here it is…I really hope you'll write a review. Even a few words would really be appreciated. **

**Thanks!**


	10. Chapter 10

"Alison, this is Cammie," Zach introduced me to a girl who was at least three inches taller than me. "Cammie, this is Alison."

"Hi, nice to meet you." I said casually as my eyes roamed around the place, looking for Grant. He excused himself a few minutes ago and now I was stuck with Zach and his newly-found girlfriend. It was too awkward. What was I even doing here talking to the both of them?

"Cammie's my best friend." Zach grinned sweetly at Alison, and she smiled back. I thought I saw the _flirt _grin right there.

"So your best friend is dating Grant? That's cool. Maybe we could hang sometime, you know." Alison bit her lip at Zach's direction. What the hell was this girl suggesting? Like some kind of a double date? _Not happening._ It was just not happening.

"That's a good idea, pretty girl," Zach grinned and leaned in to whisper something to her ear and she giggled. No. She squirmed.

Ugh!

So…Zach and Alison practically flirted with each other for around ten minutes and a couple of seconds. Thank God Grant already came back, holding a glass of orange juice for me. I hungrily drowned myself into it.

"Hi Alison," Grant nodded at her direction and I had the feeling that they knew each other. I knew it. First, Bex, then now Alison. Who else was left?

"You know her?" I tried to sound not clingy at all and I hoped it worked.

Grant grinned and nodded, his eyes not leaving me but I looked away. I couldn't bare the sight. How could he know a lot of girls and I—ugh! It was so unfair! I just couldn't compete with any of those girls…Bex…and now Alison? Just no.

"Actually," Grant looked irritated. "I hate this kind of encounters, but Alison and I used to date."

I wanted to puke and jump off a building. Could this night get any worse? I couldn't believe I practically met two of Grant's many exes in less than an hour! This only meant one thing, this guy I was starting to like was actually a horrible womanizer. And why did he even invite them to his party? To shove it to my face that he'd been in lots of relationships before and I still hadn't?

"Right," my lip twitched. I really wanted to just evaporate in the scene. "That's so cool."

Grant swallowed and watched me intently, maybe he was getting the message: I was starting to get turned off.

"You dated Bex too, right?" Zach snapped all of a sudden. I could feel him so much. It was weird to be around your date's ex. More than weird.

Grant laughed anxiously. "Yeah…that was—"

Zach shrugged, cutting him off. "That's all I wanna hear."

"So how'd you meet Alison?" I asked coolly, trying to alleviate the tension that was currently building up. Zach was clenching his fists.

"Well…we met during Spring Break and yeah, went out for some time. But we're friends. Our grandparents are some kind of neighbors or something…" Grant laughed with Alison, and the moment just got more awkward.

"So you dated Bex last summer, Alison this year, and then Cammie…and who's next?" Zach's voice was flat and mocking. I glared at him but he just ignored me. He couldn't just make a scene in Grant's house!

"Man, chill," Grant giggled anxiously and looked at me.

Alison bit her lip at my direction and I knew we both know what was about to happen and so she immediately excused herself to the power room before things got all chaotic.

"Zach," I nudged his elbow. "Don't make a scene. For heavens' sake!" He just frowned, ignoring me again.

"Tell me," Zach inched closer to Grant, his eyes narrowing. "When are you going to get bored with Cammie?"

I glared at him. "Zach! Can you not?"

Grant gave me a _stay-out-of-this-I-can-handle-it_ look. But obviously, by the look of Zach's face, Grant wouldn't be able to handle him. I knew Zach so well and whenever he looked like _that_, things would get really scary.

"I can't believe you even had the guts to introduce Cammie to your exes! Don't you think that's a little bit dumb of a man to do that?" he spat. His cheeks were flaming and his eyes had this creepy look. Like he wanted to eat you or something.

I took hold of Grant's wrist and started pulling him away. "Grant, come on, let's go!"

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

"I'm so sorry about that—" Grant said when we both reached the farthest place from wherever Zach was. And apparently, it was a garden…I hadn't noticed since there were lots of colored plastic cups lying around.

"Sure," I said as I turned away from him. He actually had nothing to apologize for. Who could blame him if he dated a lot of girls before? It wasn't his fault that girls wanted to date him.

"Wait, Cammie," he blocked my way and let out a relieved sigh. "I know you've got this bad impression of me already. But trust me—"

"Who says I don't?"

He groaned a little. "Yes I dated Alison, Bex and probably half the girls here but it's you that I like."

_Crickets…_

_ Crickets…_

_ Crickkeettss…how was I even supposed to answer that? _

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

**Please review!**


	11. Chapter 11

"Man, I can't believe you're here," Zach didn't look too pleased when he saw me coming out of Macey's car. Everybody was right—Macey's beach house was just too big, even bigger than I had imagined. And it was fancy…

"I can't believe you're here either," I said flatly, not even looking at him. Grant was apparently out of sight.

"So Iemme guess," he inched closer to me, nudging my elbow mockingly. "You came here for Grant, right?"

I snorted, still ignoring him. Maybe I went here for Grant, but that wasn't everything. I wanted to enjoy the summer before Senior year too. Not just because I wanted to flirt with Grant or something like what he was thinking.

"I wish I could bring Alison—"

I glared at him and he shut up at once. "Can you please stop?"

He licked his lips and sighed. "I told you, that guy is not for you. He's practically dated every girl 'round here and I know you do _not _want that kind of guy."

If only he knew what Grant told me last night…he wouldn't be able to say that. Maybe Grant dated a lot of girls, but he _liked _me. That was the important thing here. He did not like Alison and Bex, he liked me.

"You're wrong," I just grinned, remembering Grant's words in my mind.

"Oh, yeah?" Zach smirked. "I think you know what I mean."

"You know," I swallowed and moved closer to him so that he'd hear my words clearly. "Last night, he told me he liked me, and _only me_." I couldn't hide the pride in my voice.

He started bursting into laughter and I wanted to hit him in the face. He was making me feel so stupid. "You actually bought that? I could tell you I like you and not mean it. Any guy could tell that to you."

Yeah he was right, but Grant wasn't actually the type who would just say things just for the sake of saying them.

"He really means it, I know it." I smirked.

He just grinned. "Okay, don't cry to me when he starts searching for another girl."

Ugh!

"You're just jealous because no decent girl would ever like you." I smirked again. I loved the feeling of having something to boast about to Zach.

"Like Grant is decent!" he snapped.

"Of course, he is."

He grinned wickedly. "Let's see."

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

"So people," Macey cleared her throat. "You could occupy all the rooms in this house, just don't occupy the room that's got a pink door 'cause that's mine." She grinned sweetly, batting her eyelashes. "If you need anything, this place's got everything."

Yeah yeah I knew that already. The place was practically surrounded by bars and restaurants. And of course, a very wonderful beach.

"So yeah…" everybody just watched Macey drool. "There's gonna be a party tonight and we better fix ourselves.."

"So are you coming to this party?" Zach suddenly whispered to my ear. For a moment, I thought it was Grant but when I smelled his perfume, I knew it wasn't. It was Zach's aftershave smell.

"No," I said at once. "I'm tired and everything. I just want to eat and sleep."

"Great," his breath was warm on my ear. I shivered a little.

"Yeah…" I said sarcastically. Where was Grant anyway? The last time I saw him was when we were still in Macey's house, shoving our luggage into the car. Now he was out of sight. I wished I had ridden the same car as his…

"So I'm going to reserve us a table at this restaurant," he handed me a key with a weird golden chain attached to it. It said _McHenry Beach House._ Of course. "You go to our room and get changed."

_Say what?_

I just stared at him with a questioning look.

"I said," he went high-volume. "You change and I'll meet you in the restaurant."

"Why are you giving me this damn key?" I frowned.

"Well, it is _the key _to our room. Apparently, I locked it and you wouldn't be able to go inside the room because it is locked. So you'll need the key for that."

Weird silence.

"Wait, what? Why do I need to change into _your_ room? I have my own room, right?" I said.

He frowned, looking as puzzled as I was. "I told Macey we're gonna be in the same room. So she didn't reserve a room for you."

"What?" I frowned.

"Well, I said we're going to share a room…"

"Who told you I'm going to share the room with you?" I snapped.

"We always share the same room." He said in a matter-of-factly tone. He was right, but…no, I just couldn't share the same room with him. This little sleepover was supposed to be really reserved for me only. No parents, no friends, no Zach. Some _alone time_.

"But this time, we're not going to! I'm going to ask Macey for a room." I pushed to him the keys and I felt a prick in my heart when I saw that he was upset.

"So…" he breathed as he licked his lower lip. "You really don't want to hang out with me, huh?"

It wasn't that.

"No, not that—" I tried to explain but he cut me off.

"It's cool," he forced a smile. "I guess I should get used to the new you."

So this was his strategy of torture? Making me guilty? Of course he knew I'd be guilty, he didn't have to try it.

"Fine," I grabbed the keys from his hand. "I'll meet you here in ten minutes, I'll just change."

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

"Hey Cammie," I heard Grant call behind me and I saw Zach roll his eyes. "I've been looking for you everywhere."

"Me too." I croaked, unable to hide my excitement.

"Who cares?" Zach muttered almost inaudibly. I glared at him but he didn't see me, his eyes were fixed on Grant, he had this _I-will-eat-you_ look on his eyes.

"I reserved us a table," Grant said. "So shall we?"

Darn.

"Actually," Zach smirked. "We're having dinner together."

Oh man! Couldn't he just shut up? This was actually my chance to have a decent date with Grant.

"We were supposed to be there a few minutes ago but she had to change clothes and everything and our room is far."

Grant flinched a little. "So you're sharing rooms?"

Zach nodded, grinning wickedly. "We always do."

I just _hated him_ so much! SHUT UP!

"I'm so sorry, Grant. I wish I could have dinner with you but I'm having dinner with Zach, maybe tomorrow?" I bit my lip, hoping he'd say yes. Please say yes…

"No," Zach said at once. "You can't. I booked us already for the rest of the week."

I frowned. "You said you still haven't reserved any tables."

Grant started to smile and Zach just gritted his teeth, probably making up some excuses again. Making up some _lies_..

"Well, I reserved a table for tonight." Grant grinned. Zach rolled his eyes.

"No," Zach grabbed my wrist. "We're having dinner outside."

I was practically begging Zach to let me go, but he didn't want to. His grip around my wrist was too tight as if to tell me I couldn't have dinner with Grant. He was so cruel. I actually went here to spend time with Grant even for just a while…how could he be so selfish? We practically had dinner every night.

"I guess I'll just see you around." He smiled, waved, and left.

I knew what those _see-you-around_ statements mean. That only mean _I'm-never-gonna-ask-you-out-again_. That was my last chance and Zach made me blow it.

"See what you did?" I spat on him, trying to pull my wrist free from his grip. That was my last chance! He asked me out and actually prepared for it. He reserved a table.

He looked irritated. "Can you see the look on that guy's face? He's such a douche."

"What is so douche about asking a girl out for dinner? And, he has a reservation. You don't!" I said, crossing my arms to my chest.

"Are you upset that you're not having dinner with him?" his eyes widened in disbelief. "That dude is something not to be upset about."

I rolled my eyes, ignoring him. "I don't get it," I faced him. "Why are you keeping him away from me, are you jealous?"

He didn't say anything so I just rolled my eyes. "You're not jealous, then what? Why are you always butting in?"

"Because he's not the guy for you."

"How are you supposed to know that? You barely know him."

"He's just not. Period." He said firmly.

"Then who is?" I snapped.

He gritted his teeth and looked away. "I don't know. Just not him."

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

**So guys, here is the 11****th**** chapter. I'm so sorry, I uploaded the 9****th**** chapter again. SORRY :P**

**Keep your reviews coming! :D I would really love to know what you think about the plot, how it goes and also the characters and the use of words. EVERYTHING. Tell me about it. **


	12. Chapter 12

The dinner with Zach was awkward and so was the restaurant. And so were the waitresses. They all giggled and squirmed when they looked at Zach, and a lot of them shot _I-hate-you-I-will-kill-you_ glares at me for they thought I was his girlfriend. When we arrived at _our_ room, we barely said a word to each other, we just slept side by side, heads away from each other. I wanted to say something, like maybe a _filler sentence_ or something but nothing came out. I knew he wanted to say something too but he didn't say anything. He probably thought that there was nothing there to say.

And then I came up with something..

"Zach," I slowly turned my body to face him, and was surprised when I saw that he was facing me all along. "Have you ever considered—" Damn it. Why did it have to be so hard to say? Why did I feel like I was being strangled?

He looked at me intently and I just gritted my teeth, telling myself to calm down and to not shake.

"What?" he whispered, the light from the lamp illuminated his face.

My heart was racing and I felt so stupid like this. Zach was my best friend and these moments should not be difficult and weird at all.

"Considered what?" he asked eagerly.

Why did I even mention it? WHY?

"Nothing," I bit my lip anxiously and waved a dismissive hand as I turned my back from him again. Why on earth did it have to be so _hard?_

Then I felt Zach's cold hand on my arm and I shivered. I turned to him again and it was weird having his hand _just resting there…_on my arm..

"Have I ever considered what?" his voice was almost inaudible, but just loud enough for me to hear and understand.

"Nothing," I looked away as I swallowed, his hand just burnt on my skin. "It's too stupid."

"Tell me," he looked at me again, so intently.

I laughed nervously and shivered when I realized that his hand was still there on my arm. He'd always touched me and snuggled me all the time but this time it was different, in a very weird way.

"Have you ever considered _us?_" Damn it. What the hell? How was he even supposed to respond to that question?

I expected him to laugh but his face was still the same. No hint of mockery or anything.

"What do you mean _us?_" It was weird hearing the word from him.

"Like us, us." Damn it. My vocal chords weren't so cooperative.

"Can you tell it to me straight?" he looked at me intently again. Waiting for me to say something.

"Have you ever thought about us being more than just best friends? I mean, not brothers and sisters, but more than best friends in a different kind of way. Like—"

"Of course I have." He cut me off.

I nodded, smiling very awkwardly.

"All the time," he whispered, his eyes fixed on me. I wanted to look away but it was so hard…ugh. Whatever.

"Okay." I smiled weirdly chewing on my lip. My mouth was so dry and I could barely think of something sensible to say.

"Why?" he asked. He removed his hand on my arm and his cheeks slightly flushed. He just scratched his head.

"Nothing," I shrugged. I wanted to ask because I considered what Grant said—maybe…no. Whatever.

"Where's this coming from?" he asked.

"Nowhere." I squeaked.

He giggled anxiously. It was very unusual for him to laugh like _that_. Oh God, could this moment be any more awkward? "What? Do you like me or something?" he snickered anxiously, looking away. His face was flushing. And as to my color of my cheeks…I wouldn't want to know.

"No. I just wanted to ask." I said flatly and he stopped laughing, looking at me again. It was so awkward. Really really awkward. Especially with the really silent background, I could hear crickets again.

"Well, yes. I've always thought about us." He said. He probably didn't get my question.

I swallowed a huge lump down my throat. "I mean, _us_ more than friends. _Us_ together, in a different way, _us_ not friends, like—"

"Yeah, I know what you mean," he cut me off. "And I've always thought about us together if that's what you're asking." He looked annoyed.

"Okay.." I cleared my throat to alleviate the tension. "Okay."

"Well I want to ask you," his eyes were on me now, and I couldn't resist looking back. "Have you ever thought of me as someone who's not just your best friend?"

Could I please just disappear in the scene? Was it possible to just evaporate right there? Because if it was, I would really like to…

"What do you mean?" Damn it.

He frowned, shaking his head. "Have you ever liked me more than just a friend?"

"You mean, if I find you attractive?" Of course that was not what he meant. Why did I have to act so stupid?

"Of course I know you find me attractive and hot and gorgeous, girls always do," I had to roll my eyes at this but he didn't seem to be kidding. He was serious as hell. "What I mean is, if you like me."

Cammie Morgan, do not ever attempt to bring up topics like this ever especially if you're alone with him. Why on earth did I even dare bringing up this topic? Why hadn't I just shut up and sleep?

"Of course I do," I said proudly. "You're such a very nice and true best friend, although you're annoying sometimes, you're still—"

"Snap out of it!" he cut me off and I shut up immediately. "Can we just get to the point? Can you just answer the question?" his voice echoed in the room. Literally echoed.

When he realized I wasn't, in any way, going to answer, he turned his back from me. "Forget it, let's just sleep." He switched off the lamps and then I just froze there.

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

Maybe it was better if I never mentioned about whatever I'd mentioned last night and maybe things wouldn't be this awkward. Maybe it would be really easy.

"What are you doing?" I asked when I woke up. My eyes were still a little bit uncooperative but I was able to see Zach, packing his things, looking serious than ever. I was guessing…he'd leave this place, right? He got fed up already and he was leaving.

"I asked Jonas if I could share the room with him so that you'll have this room to yourself." He said as he zipped close his duffel bag. His eyes never landed on me.

I stood up from my bed and scratched my eyes. "No," I said. "You're not leaving, alright? We're going to share this room."

He didn't even look at me, he just shook his head at the floor. "No, we're not."

_Here we go again…_

"Why? Is this about what I asked you last night? If that's what's bothering you, forget I even mentioned it." I said to his face, and finally, he looked at me.

"What's bothering me is you not wanting to mention it at all." He spat, looking disgusted.

"Fine. I don't want to argue with you anymore. I don't know why you're acting all weird and stupid lately but I'm gonna tell you, I don't like it," I was fuming with anger. "You tell me to get a life and you won't let even let me hang out with other people."

He didn't respond to this so I just kept my mouth shut till he left the room.

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

It was already ten in the evening and I still hadn't seen Zach. It was highly unusual for us to not see each other but nowadays, I guessed I should just get used to it.

Macey all asked us to come to her little _room party_ and apparently her so-called room wasn't a normal room at all. It was practically a house, she just called it her room. It had kitchen, living room, dining, bathroom, entertainment room, et cetera, pretty much a house, actually. There were waiters and waitresses serving drinks and snacks. Her theme for the night was _American—_cheeseburgers, fries, nachos, burritos, and all those.

I caught two footballers hungrily pushing handful of nachos down to their throats. I just didn't get how and where those things go in their body.

"Guys, guys," Macey yelled at the microphone as the rock music subsided. Thank God somebody switched that damn music off. "You all know how I hold my parties, right?"

Nope. I didn't.

"As part of the tradition, we're going to have the same old _Truth or Dares, I Have Never, _of course, _7 Minutes in Heaven_," everybody clapped and cheered. I could sense hormones… "And of course, Courtney and I came up with something new," she winked at a guy who was shoving a handful of fries to his mouth. "It's called _Kisses In The Dark._"

Everybody hissed and moaned, obviously thrilled, while I, on the other hand, just stood there, waiting to be kicked out. Why had I even come to this party? I wasn't even enjoying it. Grant was drinking with the footballers and Zach was nowhere to be seen. If I hadn't known, he probably came home already.

"We're gonna have to start with…" Macey mouthed to her Circle. "Okay…let's start with Truth or Dare."

Could this get any more gradeschool_ish?_

Before I knew it, I was in a circle of teenagers surrounding a soda bottle. I felt so childish and stupid. They called Macey's parties _cool?_

Ugh.

"Wwwaaiit.." Macey eyed a footballer evilly. The footballer immediately let go of the bottle and started listening to Macey. "This is not the usual Spin the Bottle. If the bottle points at you, you're gonna have a lot of options. Pick Truth, then you're going to answer a question, and you're going to say an _I Have Never _statement. It's both or you get the hell out of this party. Pick Dare, we're gonna have to make you do _anything_, I mean, the most random things in the world, and if you don't want to, you're going to do a striptease. Whether you like it or not."

The guys growled and the girls giggled. Did that even make sense? The usual dares were usually just about kissing someone you don't like, eating something disgusting…all those stuffs. What the hell was new? And please…striptease? It wasn't like it was the most exciting thing in the whole world…Zzzzzz….

"And in the end, the girl and the guy who gets pointed at by the bottle the most will participate in the very famous _7 Minutes In Heaven_."

A guy who was seated a few persons away looked irritated. "This game sucks," he spat. "What if I just lie? We're never gonna be sure if somebody's telling the truth or not. What's the point of this lame game anyway?"

Courtney Bauer stood up, furious. "Who are you?"

The guy smirked. "Preston Winters, and I don't want to know your name."

Macey rolled her eyes. "The last time I checked, I didn't force you to come here so if you think my party is lame, get your ass out of here. And to answer your question," Macey licked her lips. "We always know if somebody is lying. If majority agrees that the person is lying…maybe we'll have to set a consequence?"

I just didn't get these people! The game hadn't even started yet and they were fighting already.

Preston snorted. "What about…." Everybody looked at him intently as they waited for him to come up with a sensible idea. "If a person lies, he's gonna have to kiss the person next to him?"

Everybody groaned. "Lame!" "Boo!"

"Get outta here!" somebody yelled.

I couldn't help but laugh. This was too funny…we hadn't even started yet.

Preston just rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he said. "You think of the consequence. It's your party anyway."

Macey smirked. "You're right," she cleared her throat and suddenly everybody went quiet. "This is _my_ party. I set the rules. So if somebody is proven to be lying, he's gonna take off a piece of clothing. Sounds good?"

Everybody cheered and Macey could never be any more proud.

"Okay," she cleared her throat again. "Let's start. Now Preston, you spin."

Preston smirked as he took the bottle and spin…

_Jonas._

I giggled. This would be really funny…

"Wait—" somebody said.

Oh no.

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

I am so excited for this guys!

I AM SOOOOOOO thrilled! LOL. I hope you are too!

Anyways,…review!


	13. Chapter 13

"Zachy, Zachy," Macey said sweetly and sarcastically. "You're late. Everyone, can you please make a room for the quarterback?"

I rolled my eyes to this. Did everybody just have to mention what position Zach was playing in the football team?

Thank God, Zachary Goode arrived. At least I knew he was safe and sound. That he wasn't drunk-driving or something.

"Thanks Mace," he winked and took the seat beside Preston. Zach gave Preston a high-five when he realized it was Jonas the bottle was pointing to.

"Truth or Dare?" everybody said except me and Bex, probably, who was busy biting her fingernails.

"I think I'll take Truth," Jonas announced, his voice shaking.

Macey had this triumphant look on her face. "May you do the honors, Preston?"

"Okay," Preston cleared his throat, the same way Macey did. This annoyed her a bit. "Who's the girl you'd want to kiss in this room?"

_Whoaaas…_were echoing in the room.

"Can you ask me another one?" he begged. Preston just let out a chuckle, shaking his head.

Jonas took a deep breath before answering. "Macey."

The whole room burst into laughter, even I couldn't help but giggle. Jonas was blushing and Preston looked disgusted. Oh my, did Jonas like…

It was none of my business.

Macey bit her lip, her face showing no expression at all. It was hard to tell if she was happy or not that Jonas wanted to kiss her.

"That's obviously not a lie," Preston sighed. "Okay, you spin the bottle again, dude."

Jonas grabbed the bottle with shaky hands and spun it…

_Kim Lee._

Kim was too busy applying mascara she barely noticed the bottle was pointing at her. Upon realizing it, she screamed.

"Truth," she squeaked. Macey rolled her eyes, totally disgusted at how immature and childish Kim was becoming.

"So Kim," Jonas lowered his voice and everybody went silent. "What is your favorite subject?"

Everybody groaned and boo_ed_ Jonas. I just couldn't help laughing. What the hell? _Favorite subject?_ My stomach just hurt, I couldn't stop laughing and so were some other people beside me.

"Jonas," Macey called. "You can leave my party now."

Kim was bursting into laughter. "No, Macey you can't just kick him out. He didn't say anything wrong. He asked me a question like what he's supposed to do," she faced Jonas. "Jonas, my favorite subject is History."

Jonas nodded, still feeling embarrassed by his question.

"Spin it," Macey told Kim irritatedly.

"Hold on," Kim said. "He's not yet done with the _I Have Never._"

Everybody groaned again.

Jonas cleared his throat, silencing everybody. "I have….never….gone beyond second base."

Everybody applauded, and some looked sorry for him. He spun the bottle and…

It pointed to…_Bex_, who was still busy biting her fingers. She didn't look surprised when the she found out the bottle pointed at her, though. Like she expected it already.

"Dare," she said flatly. She was obviously bored of the game too.

"I dare you to…" Kim bit her lip as she thought. "Kiss…"

Bex flinched. "A guy you like, or used to like. _On the lips._"

I didn't know if it was just me or Bex really fainted. Her cheeks had gone really pale and she looked like she was going to pass out.

"What if I don't like a guy here?" her voice was shaky.

Kim narrowed her eyes. "What about a guy you used to like?"

Bex sighed. "Not here either."

"I don't think so…" Kim sang happily. "I know he is here…"

"Kim, no." Bex glared at her but the pretty girl just ignored her.

"You used to date Grant, right? Kiss him." Kim smirked and everybody cheered _Kiss Grant, Kiss Grant, Kiss Grant!_

Bex looked at me, and I just didn't know how to react. She looked like she really didn't want to kiss Grant, but she had to or she would be strip teasing any moment now. And I definitely wouldn't like that either. But…Grant kissing another girl? It wasn't like we were together, but…ugh. It was just—damn it.

Grant looked at me too, and I just didn't look at him. I couldn't bear the sight.

"Fine." Bex said through her teeth as she stood up and went to Grant. She placed her lips on his for at least a second and pulled away, and everybody was cheering. I just froze there, feeling so numb. Bex had this apologizing look on her eyes. She really didn't have to apologize because she'd done nothing wrong. But—

STOP IT CAMMIE.

"Spin…" Macey yawned.

_WHAT THE HELL?_

Me? The bottle was pointing at me.

I bit my lip hard, why, why why? Why did it have to be me? It was so early for me to be doing Truth or Dare. I was actually thinking..

"Truth or Dare, Cammie?" Macey asked, batting her eyelashes.

If I picked Truth, I would have to answer to questions, but if I picked Dare, it would be truly random. I might even be asked to eat leftovers or something and if I didn't do the dare, I'd have to strip.

"Truth." I said, gritting my teeth.

Bex smiled nicely, as if to tell me it wasn't going to be something really difficult. Thank God it was Bex. If it were Macey, I would not know what I would do. She probably would have asked me the weirdest questions in the world…

"Do you love someone right now?" Bex grinned.

A lot of the people groaned, telling Bex to change her "stupid" question. Macey was glaring at Bex now, telling her to change her question too.

"No." I said, smiling. This was easy.

"Does everybody agree that Bex' question is _too_ Kindergarten?" Macey asked and everybody yelled yes.

"Change that," Macey eyed Bex.

"Okay," Bex frowned. "I don't know what kind of question you want me to ask her, so…Macey, you ask her."

NO!

Bex, how could you do this to me? Did you not know Macey was going to ask me the most personal questions ever?

Macey grinned, thanking Bex several times. "Alright," she smiled at me. "Because you're my friend, this isn't going to be dirty and everything."

I bit my lip. Please no…

"What are your dirty dreams about Zach?" Macey's eyes narrowed as she waited for me to respond.

_Oohhhhhhhhhh…_they all went.

Everybody was whispering _"They're best friends, right?" "I wonder if they ever dated." "They look-" _UGH! Enough!

Seriously. Was the question even valid?

"No." I said flatly. Zach's face was too unpredictable now, I couldn't figure out if he was serious, happy, mad or anything. His face was just too blank to read.

Macey grinned. "I was asking about _the dirty dreams_, it wasn't a yes or no question, honey."

"Can I just get out of your party?" I said, feeling my mouth dry up. "You said if somebody doesn't answer the question, he's gonna have to leave your party. I'm leaving your party now."

I should've done that a long time ago.

"No," Zach said firmly. "Go ahead, answer the question."

I gritted my teeth. Damn it. Damn it.

"Come on, Cammie! Just one dirty dream!" somebody yelled.

What could I do if I never really had a dirty dream about him? I really didn't. Well maybe I did have once, but it wasn't even dirty. Or maybe it was, but it wasn't—

"I dreamt of making out with him, is that even dirty?" I snapped, and everybody went silent. A totally weird silence. You know the type of silence where there were crickets…and all those weird silence…

"I think that's fine," Macey was grinning from ear-to-ear. "How about your _I Have Never?"_

I rolled my eyes. Yeah, that. "I have never…had sex with anyone."

Everybody laughed and cheered. I just didn't care anymore. I wanted to get out of the place. I heard some _"oh, poor Cammie"_ but I just ignored them.

"Spin the bottle, sweetheart," Macey winked at me as I spun the bottle, and the silly bottle landed on…

_ZACH._

His eyes were still wide in disbelief when I looked at him. I hoped he didn't hear about my _dirty dream_ because if he did hear it, he'd always bring it up and never make me forget about it even for a single second.

He swallowed before saying, "Dare."

I swallowed too, feeling everybody's eyes on us. "Uhhh…" Damn, this was so lame. Whatever. I just needed to get out of here already. "Sing a line of your favorite song?"

Everybody looked disgusted and let out their loudest _boos_, I bet if they had rotten tomatoes within their reach, they would've thrown me lots of them.

"Ugh!" Macey groaned. "First, _what is your favorite subject,_ then now, _sing a line of your favorite song?_ You're ruining my party! This is the first time this ever happened in any of my parties!"

"Then maybe it's time you realize that your parties are _not_ as cool as you think they are," Preston smirked at Macey.

This was war.

"Shut up asshole," Macey was flaming. "We better wrap this up till this party ruins the history of my parties."

Macey nodded at Courtney and Kim and they all descended to the corner where the DJ booth was. They blasted the music and Macey positioned herself in front of the microphone.

"So everyone," Macey forced a smile. "I know that that Truth or Dare has been really disturbing, so we're going to proceed to the next part of this party.

"In a minute or so, the lights would be turned off for a minute, and you'll have to kiss someone. If the lights are turned on and you're found kissing nobody, you'll have to swim naked to the beach," she smiled sweetly at the door where there was a girl trying to escape. "Nuh-uh, sweetheart, you can't back out now."

Why did there always have to be consequences and why did Macey's parties always involve kissing?

I thought of some ways to escape Macey's room but apparently, there was only one door and it was locked. Guarded by Macey's Circle. A random girl was standing by the switch of the lights, probably waiting for the signal to turn it off.

Could you turn it off so I could escape already?

Before I knew it, all the lights were off and I could barely see anything. I was tripping on my way to the exit, and then somebody pushed me to the wall I hit my head so hard. I yelled thanks and crawled my way to the exit. I really hoped I was crawling to the right door. I didn't want to bump my head again. Whoever was that person who pushed me to the wall….

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

Damn it. Thanks to whoever pushed me, my head hurt so badly and I wasn't able to escape this lame party. When the lights turned on, everybody was kissing somebody, which totally looked weird. I looked like I was the only one who wasn't kissing anyone. I had to hide or Macey would have to make me swim naked.

"I see," Macey said to the microphone. "I see three people not kissing anyone. Come here people…"

Macey had seen me!

Shhhiii..

Somebody plastered his mouth on mine and I had no choice but to freeze there. I just felt my body melt, I felt so vulnerable…I opened my eyes and found _those eyes…_I knew these eyes…I could never be wrong. This was his eyes…the same shade, color…the same long lashes…

Zach's.

I just closed my eyes as I let myself drown…

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

"What was that?" I was catching for my breath when I realized that Macey was staring at us, smiling wider than ever. She apparently, let Courtney take over the microphone while she headed towards us.

"Did you guys just—this is like my best party ever."

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

GUYS! OH MY GOSH. THIS IS THE MOMENT.

I AM SO EXCITED FOR THE NEXT!


	14. Chapter 14

**HELLO GUYS! Since I wasn't able to upload really soon, I would make this chapter longer than usual. Hope you enjoy it! And please do not forget to make a review. **

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

There was this unexplainable silence between Zach and me as we left Macey's room. We were walking side by side but none of us would even dare to speak. And I knew why. There were so many questions running in my mind but I could barely move my mouth to speak them. I wanted to ask him why he just did whatever he did, and why did it have to become so awkward right now.

When I reached my room, I realized Zach was still behind me. I froze at this.

"I thought you're sharing room with Jonas." I technically croaked as I opened the door of my room. Damn it, I couldn't even manage to slip the key into the hole!

"You said I should stay, didn't you?" I heard him say.

Finally, I opened the door and I walked slowly to it, feeling the whole awkwardness around me. My best friend just kissed me and we still had to share the same room. Why did I even insist that he doesn't leave?

I was trying to look busy scanning the channels when I realized that I couldn't take this anymore. "Why in the world did you kiss me?"

I saw Zach wince. He, too, was taken aback by what I asked.

"Why did I kiss you? I think the better question is _Why did you kiss me back?_" he was concealing his laughter, and I just couldn't help but go scarlet. This moment was very intense and he still had the guts to joke about it.

"Right." I said flatly, hitting down hard on the buttons of the remote control.

"I had to kiss you, or you're going skinny dipping." He smirked.

Really? That was his best excuse?

"What about the real reason why you kissed me?" I snapped and he fell silent.

"I know you're thinking that I like you or something," he swallowed. "Cammie, I don't like you. I just did that to save you from humiliation. You know Macey, she does what she says. That kiss didn't mean anything. Just think of it as a best friend's kiss." The casual smile started to spread across his face and I just froze there wishing I shouldn't have asked.

"Sure." I tried to smile sweetly and I just hurt my cheeks. I had to look like it was _nothing…_

"So I'm going back to the party," he said, standing up from the floor. "I'm guessing you don't want to come back, right?"

I shook my head lazily. I wished I hadn't gone to that party. I wished he hadn't even showed up there in the party.

"Well," he exhaled. "Enjoy the night." And off he went.

I just hated the fact that he wasn't even affected by that kiss. He still had the energy to come back to the party after what he just did? While I was left here, still dumbfounded. How could he still have the guts to party after kissing his best friend?

UGH!

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

When I came home again, my parents were there and they asked me about Zach, why I didn't come home with him and why I looked so down. And I said, maybe because I'd been in that beach house for two weeks and I needed a break from the every-night parties Macey had been throwing.

"Well, I'd like you to tell Zach to come over for dinner," mom said, looking excited. "I'm cooking."

No. Please. Don't. Let. Mom. Cook.

"I think he's going somewhere," I hated to lie to them but I couldn't tell them I barely spoke a word to Zach ever since he kissed me even though we shared the same room.

"Oh," Mom looked disappointed. "Well maybe tomorrow?"

She would never back down, of course.

"I'll check it with him." I lied again. I just needed more time to come up with an excuse.

"And what about Liz?" Dad asked, with the newspaper covering his face.

"Liz just got back two days ago," the first thing I said that wasn't a lie. "I'm going to sleepover in her house, would that be fine?" another lie again.

"Oh no, sweetheart," Mom placed a palm on her mouth. "We'll only be here for a week, what about you sleepover next week?"

I shrugged and nodded. I badly wanted to tell Liz whatever happened for the past weeks that she was gone, but I realized that I should save it for later and spend more time with my parents. No matter how boring that seemed.

"Oh I nearly forgot!" Mom snapped, looking all-excited again. I wondered what she was up to now. "Zach's mom invited us for dinner."

Dad put down the newspaper and raised a brow at Mom. "Yeah, yeah, I can't believe we almost forgot. She'd be furious if we wouldn't show up."

I ignored this. I was actually happy at the thought that I would have the home to myself tonight, I could ask Liz to come over and I'd probably tell her everything that happened.

"Cameron, you have to help me bake, alright?" Mom said. How many times did I have to tell her I hated cooking?

"Alright," I said half-heartedly.

"You're coming with us to Zach's house, right?" Dad turned to me.

"No…" I swallowed, hoping neither of them would insist that I should come. But judging by the face of my Mom, I knew she wasn't going to let me stay at home while they were having dinner at Zach's.

"No, mom, please don't make me come to the dinner," I said at once, knowing what Mom was thinking. "I'll be fine here."

"Why? Don't you want to see Zach?" she frowned.

If only she knew how many times I'd been seeing Zach when we shared the same room. I always saw him. Everytime I would go somewhere, he'd be there. The only thing was, we barely said a word to each other. And things just got weird when he met this really Top Model-material girl, they started hanging out and I was shut out of his life again. Not that it mattered.

"No, it's not that," I lied. "I just want to rest."

Dad nodded at Mom, as if to convince her to just let me stay. I loved my Dad so much. He'd always been a lifesaver.

"Alright," Mom smiled sweetly. "But sleep early, we're going out tomorrow."

Yay.

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

"I knew you wouldn't have come." I heard Zach's voice from behind me. At first I thought I was just hearing voices but when I turned my head, I saw him.

"Hey." I said as I turn my head back to the television again, pretending to be scanning channels. "Why are you here?" I was actually asking myself that, too. Why was I still sitting on the couch, why hadn't I wrapped my arms around him yet? Didn't I miss him so much?

"Maybe because I miss my best friend?"

I swallowed. "Yeah."

"So what's up? I haven't talked to you for years…" his voice was quiet, and serious, of course. I didn't want to talk about _what happened_, why it happened, why everything got awkward…I just didn't want to talk about it.

"Look," my heart was racing, like how it would usually do when I was about to say a lie. "I'd really love to hang out with you but I gotta go to Liz' house. She begged for me to drop by, I nearly forgot!" I stood up, turning off the TV.

"Nice try," his face was blank. "Liz is with Jonas brainstorming for our next project for next school year. If you didn't want me here you could've just said so."

DAMN IT. Why couldn't you just be good in lying, for once?

"It's not that," I said, feeling my cheeks flush. "It's not that I don't want you here, I just want to be alone, alright?"

He frowned. "Is this because of Taylor?"

"Who the hell is he?" I snapped. Who the hell was Taylor?

"See? Exactly my point. Taylor is not a _he_. She's my girlfriend."

LIKE I NEEDED TO KNOW THAT.

"Why are you telling me this?" I said, irritated.

"I'm just trying to prove that we've been so distant lately, we barely talked this summer, did you even notice that? Or are you so busy flirting with Grant?" he snapped.

"Why did Grant pop into this issue? It's you who told me to get new friends and distance myself from you. Now that I followed your advice, you're saying we're distant? Don't be so dramatic. You wanted this too." I said without pausing. I was suddenly catching for my breath.

"You're the one being dramatic here. I just kissed you and you started acting weirdly around me. I shouldn't have kissed you."

"Yeah, you're right," Like I asked him to kiss me. "You shouldn't really have kissed me. It's your worst decision ever."

"I never really would've kissed you if I didn't want to save you from swimming naked in the middle of the night." He smirked.

"Then you shouldn't really have kissed me." I said firmly.

"Whatever, I shouldn't have come here in the first place."

"Why did you come, then?"

"I wanted to talk to my best friend because I have a really huge problem here. It's driving me crazy." He was suddenly begging now for me to hear him. And of course, vulnerable as I was, I let him.

"You know the girl I've been dating lately, right? I like her so much and she's very not interested in me."

I didn't even know if I could help him with that problem. It was one of those problems I didn't like to interfere with. I didn't know why.

"Don't be silly," I looked away. "All the girls like you."

"Not you," he swallowed. "Not Taylor."

"What do you want me to do?" I asked.

It just went on without me knowing it, everything Zach and I fought about just evaporated and it seemed like nothing happened. Zach was back to his old self again, he was now confessing his feelings for Taylor to me, asking me for advice, asking me if he seemed to clingy or weird or shallow because apparently, this Taylor _potential girlfriend_ was very deep and different from all the girls he'd gone out with.

"I'm really gripped. I really like this girl, you know." He said dreamily and I just felt my heart break. For no reason at all.

After an hour of pure Taylor talk, my parents called me up and told me they had an emergency. They had to leave already because something in their business was going crazy, and of course, what could I do?

"Take care, mom." I said as I hit the red button.

"Are you okay?" Zach suddenly asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, your parents just arrived and they're leaving again." He shrugged.

"They're _always_ like that." I said, laughing to myself. I wasn't sad at all, maybe I was, but not because of my parents, because of an entirely different thing.

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

I woke up with Zach's arms wrapped around me. He was snoring quietly, in a way I didn't even know was possible. For a moment, it felt so good watching him beside me, his arms around me, but I realized it was wrong.

"I told you to sleep on the floor." I said when I noticed his eyes open.

"I missed you, alright? I had to be close to you." he grinned mockingly as I threw a pillow at him.

"Don't ever do that again." I said.

"Why? Do you feel uncomfortable? We used to do that all the time, remember? We even took baths together." He giggled.

"That was, again, ten years ago or something," I said, frowning. "We're teenagers and it's not really appropriate—"

He was snickering. "Since when did _we_ become inappropriate?"

I just felt my heart stop. For no reason at all. Again. For no reason.

"Just don't." I said as I slipped into my slippers. He stood up and pulled my body near his. I just didn't know how to react, how to move, how to breathe. I hated these moments. I really hated these moments.

"I just missed you so much, cutie." He grinned and wrapped his arms around me, squeezing me really tight so that I couldn't breathe already.

"Mmmm…" he sniffed my neck. "Delicious." He started laughing his ass off and I just ignored him. How was I even supposed to react to that?

"Sexy, huh?" he raised a brow, eyeing my exposed stomach. I quickly fixed my top and shot him a glare.

"Never knew you got abs." he smirked.

I didn't have abs.

"I don't!" I said, feeling offended.

"Obviously," he placed his palm on my waist and I just froze. "You do. You can check mine if you want. Compare."

He placed my hand on his flat and hard stomach, making me freeze. Damn it. Just damn it. Why were we even talking about abs?

"See? Your stomach is firm." He grinned and I just rolled my eyes to this. This topic is really awkward. Did we really have to discuss about abs?

"So…" he said when the topic of abs subsided. "Umm?"

I squinted. What the hell was he even talking about?

"What?" I snapped.

"You're hot." A huge wicked smile was starting to form across his face now.

I slapped his back. "Shut up!"

"Why? Of course you are." He was laughing.

"No. I _am not_." I said firmly.

"Why do you think Grant likes you? Because of your personality?" he was still laughing I just wanted to slap his face.

"Shut up." I said, controlling myself from hitting him.

"You're hot, that's why Grant likes you." he said.

"Well don't compare yourself to Grant," I snapped. "If you like Taylor because she is hot, it doesn't mean all the guys like girls only because they're hot."

"I like her for so many things. Not only because she's hot. But you? You're only hot, what is there left to like?" he mocked and I just stared at him. What the hell? AND YOU HAD TO SAY IT IN MY FACE, asshole.

"You shit head." I said as I stormed my way to the bathroom, shutting the door close.

I actually thought Zach wouldn't be there by the time I'd get out of the bathroom, but he was there, lying on my bed, with dripping wet hair.

"Hey, I'm so sorry, alright?" he was chewing his tongue.

I rolled my eyes, securing the towel around my body. "Just get out for a moment I need to change."

He grinned. "I told you. I've _seen everything_. Nothing to hide from me anymore."

"Just get out." I said firmly but judging by the look on his face, he wouldn't back down.

"I can always close my eyes, you know?" he winked then burst into laughter. I had a feeling that he was enjoying always teasing me.

I stared at him. "Just please. Get out for a minute."

He stood up from my bed and grinned. "Imma count, alright? 60 seconds and I'm coming back here."

I ignored him. When he left, I immediately slipped into my usual outfit. Shirt and jeans, plus Chucks. And just before I could tie my left shoe, he already started running from the door. He wrapped my arms around me from behind, squeezing me tight.

"Smells good, huh?" he laughed, still squeezing me. Didn't he realize I always froze whenever he'd get _this close_?

"Mmm…" he sniffed my hair. "Strawberries and cream…"

When I pulled away, he was grinning. "Why are you doing this? Why are you always hugging me and-just what is up with you?" I snapped and I could see that Zach was taken aback.

"I just miss you, that's all." He shrugged. "Is that wrong? Is it wrong to miss your best friend? Do you feel uncomfortable when I do that? Is this still about the kiss?"

I didn't answer.

"I told you it didn't mean anything." He said. And maybe that was why I was feeling uncomfortable—because it didn't mean anything to him at all.

"What?" he snapped when I didn't reply to him.

"Nothing. Just don't get clingy on me; I'm not your girlfriend." I said softly. My vocal chords weren't cooperating again.

"But you're my best friend. You're more than just a girlfriend to me, you know that." He said, holding my hand. Maybe that was what upset me: I was either less than a girlfriend to him, or more than a girlfriend. Never—ugh, shut up.

"I don't get why things got weird between us. Before, I'd kiss you on your neck, your hand, I'd squeeze you to me, wrap my arms around you for hours and nothing would be really uncomfortable. Is this still about the kiss?"

"No." I said, staring at his hand, holding mine.

"Okay, kiss me again if you're telling the truth." He stared into my eyes.

I shook my head, smiling anxiously. "If you wanted a kiss from me, you could've just said so." _Nice excuse, Cammie. Really nice._

He grinned and wrapped his arms around me again. "I love you, alright?"

"Yeah." I said to his chest.

"I don't want things to get weird between us, okay? Let's not fight or feel uncomfortable around each other. And don't date Grant."

I pulled away from him. "I won't do that."

"Please?" he had this begging look. "Don't, don't date him, he's a horrible guy."

"And what do you call yourself?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

He shook his head. "Okay, fine. Date him. Just…I just don't want to argue with you anymore."

"Promise me that when I'm with him, you're not going to interrupt anymore." I told him.

He rolled his eyes. "Fine."

"Good."

"Good." He grinned, touching the tip of my nose.

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

**Sorry for the late upload! **


	15. Chapter 15

I didn't know how it happened but my one month of summer vacation just slipped away. _Just like that_. With no significance at all. Except for meeting Grant and kissing Zach…nothing surprising really happened.

"Can we talk about something? Other than that?" I said, frowning. We'd been talking about Zach being so distant from me and all those drama.

"Well…about your other guy? Is that Grant? Grant, right?" she said.

I nodded and I suddenly felt my heart leap. Just the mention of his name…ugh.

"What about Grant?" I asked.

She shrugged, looking bored. "I don't know. I really don't want to talk about him. You said you wanted to talk something else…"

"He's a very nice and cute guy." I said at once.

"Okay…" she shrugged. "But I still do vote for Zach."

There was nothing to vote for.

"So what about Jonas?" I snapped and she blushed immediately. Nice try changing the topic, Cam.

"Nothing, I don't know…" Liz bit her lip, her cheeks, still flushing. "So let's not talk about him because he's not the topic of this discussion. Let's talk about _him_." She winked.

"I don't want to talk about him, okay?" I said, looking away.

"Who?" she raised a brow.

"Zach?" I said.

She laughed and shook her head. "I was talking about _Grant_. Not Zach."

I bit my lip and nodded. "Right."

"Did you kiss already?" Liz' croaked.

"Yeah." I winced at the thought. I couldn't believe we actually kissed. I still couldn't believe it.

"You did? Oh my god!" she screamed. "That is so sweet! So how was it? How did it happen, are you two dating now?"

"No, of course not," I frowned. "We're best friends, right? And besides, it wasn't a romantic kiss."

"What are you talking about?" she looked puzzled.

"The kiss. He kissed me. I know it's awkward, right?" I couldn't take the feeling of flashing it back again. I didn't want to remember it.

"What is awkward?" Liz was very puzzled.

"Come on! We're best friends!" I whined.

"You and _Grant?_ But you just met!" Liz frowned, totally clueless what I was saying.

"I meant, Zach! Not Grant!"

"So you kissed Zach?" Liz bit her lip.

Oh man.

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

"So why didn't you tell me Zach kissed you? What is the point of not telling your best friend about that? Seriously! I feel so offended." Liz said.

I was actually going to tell her, at the right time. And I had told her, right?

"I didn't think it was necessary. It's not a big deal, you know." I said, playing with my fingers. Why was the blame on me again?

"Not a big deal? You kissed your best friend, he kissed you and—UGH!" she groaned. "This is very disturbing. What the hell? You kissed and now you act like it's nothing…you're back to being best friends again? That is lame." Liz was out of breath.

"It's because the kiss didn't mean anything. We were in a game and if I didn't kiss anyone, I'd have to swim naked. _In the middle of the night_. Zach just kissed me to save me." I explained to her.

"Right. Like it was _his only reason_." Liz' nostrils flared.

"I'm telling you, it's nothing," I said. "Can we not mention this when we're with Zach? We agreed not to talk about it anymore."

Liz was yelling at me now. She was being overly hysterical. "I can't take this," she shook her head several times, to the point of really banging her head already. "You _agreed to not talk about it anymore_? That is—CAMMIE! This is very stupid."

"No, Liz, it's not. You're just overreacting." I said, hoping she'd calm down.

"NO. There should be a reason why he kissed you. I know he kissed you because of something more than just saving you from that stupid kissing game."

"Don't insinuate things, Liz." I said, hoping she'd just snap out of it. I wasn't really enjoying this conversation. It just pained me more.

"You two…" Liz shook her head. "You're both—damn it. You." she growled. "Forget it. If you don't want to talk about this, I won't. But don't blame me, alright?"

Blame her for what?

How could summer be just all about parties? It was a Friday night and I was in a party, AGAIN. I rarely went to this kind of parties, but there I was, holding a cup of an alcoholic drink, watching people dance and get wasted. I felt like an alien.

"Who's party is this?" Liz asked. She looked really uncomfortable just standing by the bar, even if she was with me.

"Uhh…a footballer's." I shrugged. It was Zach's friend's party. I just didn't know what his name was.

"Look at him," Liz frowned. "How could he even have the guts to dance with other girls when he'd kissed his best friend?" she was pertaining to Zach, who was apparently, drunk and dancing with two sexy girls.

"Snap out of it, Liz," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Why? He kissed you, that is a big deal for me."

"Well you must now that for guys like Zach, a kiss doesn't mean anything, even sex wouldn't mean anything to them if they'd want to." I explained to her. Couldn't she understand the nature of these guys? Guys in the real world weren't like Cinderella's Prince Charming. Come on, get real.

"But he must know that you're not like that. He must know that probably, a kiss would mean something to his best friend." She looked at me.

"It doesn't. I promise." I said intently.

"Come on, you suck at lying." Liz grinned. "Tell me. I'll never tell anyone about this. Just be honest, okay? If you like him, I won't judge you. I mean, Zach is very good-looking, smart, and charming. I won't judge you if you really like him."

_That was a very thought-provoking proposition but I didn't like Zach._

"No." I said. "He's my best friend."

"So what? Romantic relationships usually last longer if they were rooted from platonic relationships." She smirked.

"Please, Liz. Didn't you promise to not talk about this?" I told her and she shut up. We were just stupidly standing there for about an hour until Zach, who was panting, catching for his breath, approached us. He looked like he'd been taking drugs. He was grinning widely.

"Hey there Lizzie," Zach winked.

Liz looked disgusted, she just ignored him.

"Hey cutie," Zach blew me a kiss and started laughing. Okay, he might need to take a break.

"Zach, you're horribly drunk. Do you want to go home?" I asked him but he was ignoring me, shaking his head.

"No, no no…" he laughed. "I'm still having fun! Come on! Let's have fun it's summer!" he was screaming. Liz was obviously feeling embarrassed being seen with Zach so she distanced herself away from the both of us.

"Zach," I gripped him by his shoulders. "Calm yourself."

He grinned as he moved closer to me. I could smell his aftershave despite the heavy scent of the alcohol. "You are one big tease, you know that?"

I rolled my eyes, still gripping his shoulders. "Okay whatever. I'll get you some water to drain the alcohol."

"NO!" he yelled so loud that I winced. Then he started laughing. Seriously, I was having the sense that he was taking drugs or something.

"Zach, come on!" a girl with a red hair said, pulling Zach away from me. He was still laughing.

"I'll see you later, cutie."

The redhead took away Zach as I felt Liz walk to my side.

"That girl is such a…"

"Don't even start with it." I stopped Liz and she just frowned.

"Do you think she's his girlfriend?" Liz asked.

_Is she Taylor?_


	16. Chapter 16

When I went home, I wasn't able to sleep. I still kept on thinking about the redhead. Was she Taylor? Was she Zach's girlfriend? She looked pretty _not bitchy_ to me, she looked decent, beautiful, and sexy. Maybe she was Taylor. But why was I even bothering about this? So what if she was Taylor?

"Hey cutie," it was Zach, walking to me. He seemed to be losing his balance.

"Zach? You are—shit." He tripped.

"I'm alright," he said. His voice was husky now. "I drank liters of water to wash out the alcohol so I can drive."

"You drove?" I spat. What the hell was this guy thinking? He could get in an accident for that. What if he crashed into something?

I supported him till we reached my bed. He immediately laid down, closing his eyes. "Damn. My head aches."

I just rolled my eyes to this. Didn't he always ask that whenever he'd come from those parties drunk?

"Just rest there, alright?" I said and he pulled my hand so that I fell beside him.

"Rest here too." He murmured.

"Fine." I said and he placed a hand on my thigh. I winced. Big time. But I wasn't too bothered by this, I was thinking of something. "The girl with the redhair, is she Taylor? Is she the girl you like?"

He moaned, ignoring my question. Damn it, just answer me.

"What?" I asked him.

"My head is throbbing."

Like it was his first time to be _that_ wasted.

"Tell me about the girl, is she Taylor?" I was starting to get irritated. He'd always ignore my questions about Taylor or the redhead.

He squeezed my thigh, I yelped. "What?" I yelled.

He grinned while his eyes were closed. "Nothing."

I shook my head and stood up. He was insane. "Just call me if you need anything, I'm sleeping in my parents' room."

"NO!" he yelled, forcing himself to stand up but obviously, he was too drunk to do that.

"You're crazy. Just sleep and let's talk tomorrow."

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

"Wake up, baby." I heard him murmur to my ear. If my eyes were opened, I would've rolled my eyes.

"What?" I snapped, pushing the covers away.

"Nothing, I just missed you." he grinned. And this time, I rolled my eyes.

"You were drunk." I said flatly.

"I know, why? Did I kiss you again?" he grinned and I just looked away. _HOW COULD HE JOKE ABOUT KSISING ME?_

"So that girl, the redhead, is she Taylor?" I asked.

"Ya got that right." He pursed his lips.

"Is she your girlfriend?" I hated to ask this because I sounded too possessive but I just wanted to know.

"Nope. Not yet." He wiggled his eyebrows.

I didn't know why but I just felt like I was pierced to the ground. The feeling was just not good.

"Alright," I nodded as I swallowed.

"What?" he asked. How could he? _HOW DARE HE?_ How could he just ask me—damn it.

"Nothing." I said, sounding very innocent.

"Tell me, are you jealous?"

Here we go again.

"No." I said.

"Cool."

"Yeah, cool."

"Good."

I breathed and forced a smile. "So do you like her?" WHY DID YOU EVEN ASK, CAMMIE?

"Obviously, yes."

Another pinch.

"Cool." I said coolly and he nodded.

"So…do you think we look good together?" he asked.

"Yeah, she's pretty and sexy, you're handsome and sexy. Yeah, you look good together." I said casually. Not sounding sarcastic or dumb. Just very normal.

"Cool."

"Yeah."

There was weird silence. I wanted to scream but we just stared at each other, left with no words.

"What about Grant?" he asked.

"What about him?"

"Did you do anything…hang out…eat? Anything?" he asked and I just shook my head. I totally forgot about Grant. Where the hell was this guy anyway?

"I haven't seen him in a while." I said.

"Really?" his eyes widened.

"Yeah." I said flatly.

"Cool."

Honestly, this conversation was getting weirder and weirder. Seriously, what was up with us? This wasn't best friends Zach and Cammie. This was strangers Zach and Cammie. I just had to ask this. I badly needed to. But I wouldn't.

"So…" Zach bit his lip.

"What?"

"Nothing!"

"This is so weird, Zach."

"Yeah." He frowned, distracting himself. "I gotta go."

WHAT? Seriously. This. Sucks. A. Lot. What. The. Hell. Is. Going. On?

"Sure." Was all I could say.

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

**THIS IS THE SHORTEST CHAPTER SO FAR, but I'm gonna make up for it in the next! I PROMISE!**

**XO**

**Pleaseeee review!**


	17. Chapter 17

"Okay, people," Zach cleared his throat, standing up from the floor. Everybody turned to him. "We need to work on this project for the Freshies, alright?"

Everybody nodded except for me, and a couple of clueless people who completely had no idea. NO IDEA. Of what he was talking about.

"Excuse me," Grant raised his hand. Zach snorted. "What are we talking about here?"

Zach left us a message in our e-mails, inviting all the incoming Seniors to support the Student Council project. The venue was in his house, around seven in the evening. It said there, _get ready to have some fun for there'll be a party afterwards. _That was probably the reason why hundred percent of the class attended.

"It's the project of the council," Zach said without looking at him. "The principal asked us to prepare for a video or anything for the Freshies, and we're going to do some voting…who wants..video?"

A few people raised their hands.

"Alright…" he cleared his throat again. "What about a play or somethin'?" he looked irritated and obviously distracted.

Again, a few people raised their hands.

"To those who didn't raise their hands," Zach walked to me, grinning. "What do you want to do?"

Everybody was looking at me now. Thanks a lot, Zach.

"Uhh—" I shrugged dumbly. "I don't know, whatever you want, I'll be okay with it."

He grinned and winked at me before turning to the other people who hadn't voted for anything.

"So guys…." He said louder. "What do you want?"

Grant nudged my elbow, smiling very widely. "I feel so dumb not knowing about this project."

I grinned. He just looked so CUTE. UGH. "Yeah, me too."

"I thought you'd be the first one to know about it. You're his best friend." He shrugged. He was right. I should be the first one to know about this. I was Zach's best friend!

"Nah," I shook my head. "He never mentioned about this."

"Really? Well…maybe because there are so many things to talk about."

I shrugged. If only he knew how weird things had become for Zach and I, he never would've asked why.

"I think," I shrugged. "But hell…I feel so dumb, what th—"

"Do you guys want to share that to the rest of us?" Zach was looking at us, with _those eyes_.

"No. Sorry." I bit my lip.

"Come on, share it." he smirked.

"Man, don't be such a jerk. We were just talking." Grant frowned.

Zach's face got blank and I knew what was coming.

"Talking. We're supposed to be having a serious _meeting_ here." Zach said.

"Yeah, but don't we have the right to talk about something else?" Grant's voice was rising and so was Zach's temper.

"Flirting is not allowed in this meeting." He said flatly, glaring at the both of us.

Grant let out a disgusted noise. "Flirting?"

"Come on, Zach, we were just talking. I'm sorry. Didn't we talk about this?" I frowned. "I'll just take that seat over there so I won't have to talk to anybody." I stood up but Grant pulled my arm.

"No, you shouldn't," Grant spat. "What the hell is your problem, man?"

Zach's jaw clenched, and he looked away. He went on again talking about the project, like nothing happened.

"What's that guy's problem?" Grant frowned, irritatedly.

"Just cool it, alright? He probably has PMS or something." I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing. Grant snickered, I nudged his elbow.

"Don't laugh!" I said through my teeth.

Zach shot me a glare and looked away again.

"So we've settled for a live band on the first day of classes," Zach announced after almost an hour of voting. "We've got Jonas with the keyboards, uhh…bassist would be Kyle…I'll be the drummer, and who wants to be the vocalist, the lead guitar, and the rhythm?"

Nobody moved.

"Fine," Zach rolled his eyes. "Who knows any instrument?"

Grant raised his hand. "I do."

Zach pursed his lips. "What instrument?"

"Triangle." Grant said. And I just couldn't help it, I burst out laughing and so did the others. I just couldn't help it. I was technically crying. He was so funny.

"Nice." Zach said blankly.

"So…should I be included in the band?" Grant asked eagerly.

I eyed Zach, _let him in!_ So what if it was a triangle?

"Yeah, whatever," Zach rolled his eyes, looking away. "Who knows how to play instruments _that make sense_?"

Everybody giggled.

A guy raised his hand. "I can play guitar."

Zach nodded. "Cool, what about the vocals?"

Nobody moved again.

"Anyone? Just two songs. You get to pick." Zach said.

Nobody moved again.

"I'll do the vocals," a guy said.

"Alright!" Zach clapped his hands. "The first band practice would be…next week? Who's not available?"

Nobody said a thing.

"Cool." Zach said.

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

We all went to Zach's beach house right after the meeting for the most-awaited party. I actually didn't want to go but Grant would be there, and I had nothing to do anyway.

"What's up with your best friend, huh?" Liz asked, we were both hanging out by the bar, as always.

"I don't know either, he's very weird lately." I shrugged, watching people dance to the song.

"So what have you and Grant been talking about that annoyed Zach so much?" Liz batted her eyelashes, I rolled my eyes at her.

"Nothing, Zach is just overreacting. It's nothing about him." I explained to her.

"Wwaait-here he comes," Liz nudged my elbow as Grant walked to us.

"Wanna dance?" Grant asked, biting his lip. HE LOOKED SO CUTE. How could he just do that effortlessly?

"Uhh..sure." I croaked. I turned to Liz and bit my lip. She just laughed and told me to go with it.

"I have to tell you something," he said as he wrapped his arms around my waist gently. I was practically shaking.

"Yeah, what is it?" my voice shook. I just couldn't move when his hands were on me. I was practically frozen.

"I really like you, Cammie," he swallowed, and I could feel he was nervous too. Just like me. "I know it's all of a sudden and too fast, but I just wanted to let you know because I really hate keeping things from people. When I saw you, I didn't think you'd be _like this_. But when I got to know you, I just—damn it." he grinned and I smiled. "I hate being cheesy."

I nodded, still couldn't help myself from smiling.

"I like you."

I wanted to say _I like you too_ but…UGH. I just couldn't. There was something that was stopping me from saying it.

"Grant…" my voice was husky now. "That's…uhh…"

And then his lips were on mine. I didn't know how it happened, or why. But I just closed my eyes and froze as he brushed his lips to mine. Our lips were touching for a moment, and I didn't know how to move. I was practically frozen to the floor, and when he pulled away, we were both pale-faced and awestruck.

He removed his hands on my waist. "I'm so…sorry."

I couldn't even move my jaw.

"I'm so sorry, Cammie." He gritted his teeth and growled. "Shit! I just couldn't control myself I'm so sorry."

"Yeah." I felt weird.

"I'm so sorry. I…"

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

"So when's your band practice? Can I watch? I'm actually tired of going to parties, you know. Can we do something different?" I asked Zach when we both reached my bedroom. I got the remote and let myself fall onto the bed.

"It's probably on Friday. Whenever everybody's available." He said.

I turned up the volume of the TV and rested my head on the headboard of my bed. This was my idea of summer. Rest. Not party.

"I see," I said, looking at Zach. "You didn't drink. That's good. You could sleep here."

He smiled half-heartedly. "I'm kind of tired, I'm going home."

"Oh," I have to admit, I was surprised and hurt. "Why? You could spend the night here. It's two in the morning."

He shook his head. "Nah," he smiled. "It's cool. I just wanted to make sure you got home safely. So yeah, good night."

"Wait," I said, standing up and walking to him. "Come on, I don't want to be sleeping alone. Please?"

"Okay," he rolled his eyes. "I'll stay, only for tonight."

"Why?" I asked.

"There are just lots of things to do," he said, licking his lips. Why did he always do that? Did he have any idea what it did to me? How it affected me when he licked his lips?

"Well, I'll help you. If you want, I could sleepover in your hou—"

"No, it's fine, Cammie. I don't need distractions." He said with a blank face.

I grinned. "So…I distract you? Is that what you're saying?"

He shook his head without even smiling. "Not that."

"Then what?" I grinned.

"Forget about it, alright?" He breathed. "So how's your day? We haven't talked lately that much, right?"

I nodded. Thank God, he realized that. "Yeah. I know. My day's good."

"Anything you wanna tell me?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Uh…nothing, really." I bit my lip.

He frowned. "Nothing?"

I smiled. "Yeah."

"So for how long are you going to lie to me?" he snapped, his eyes…THOSE EYES…when he was furious…I just didn't want to fight anymore.

Zach. NOT AGAIN.

"Lie about what? Please let's not fight." I bit my lip, hoping he was just kidding but he wasn't. Those eyes still were…scary.

"Why didn't you tell me you're with Grant now?" he spat. "You made me look like a stupid fool! All along, I thought…damn it!" his face was red, and his jaw was clenched.

"All along, you thought what? And I'm not with Grant! Can you snap out of the drama already?" I yelled.

"Yeah, right!" he spat.

My heart was racing. "We're NOT together! All along you thought _what?"_

"NOTHING! I just saw you making out with him and you're not together? You are caught in the act, Cammie, don't lie anymore. How long? Tell me, how long are you going to hide this from me?"

Oh yeah. The _kiss_. It wasn't making out. It was just a kiss.

Damn it!

"He kissed me, alright? I didn't kiss him. Now can you answer me? All along you thought _what?_"

"You would've pulled away if you didn't want to kiss him. But you didn't," he was yelling at me now. "You just let him."

"Maybe I kissed him. But we're not together, for heavens' sake, Zach! Don't yell at me! We can talk about this calmly, without having to yell at each other. I don't want to fight, Zach. Just answer my question. All along you thought _what?_" I felt so dumb having to ask it all over again but I didn't care. I just wanted to know.

He shook his head. "No. We're not talking about this anymore. You didn't talk to me about this before and I'm not going to talk about this today or tomorrow."

"Then we're not going to talk about this. If that's what you want," I said softly. "Just don't yell at me, alright? Didn't we agree to not fight about these things?"

He didn't say anything, he just looked at me. Or maybe, the thing behind me. I didn't know.

"I'm not with him." I said firmly. "He told me he liked me, and I completely had no idea how to respond…and he kissed me. I was caught off guard, I just didn't know what to do!"

He didn't say anything. He wasn't looking at me anymore. He was probably looking at the TV.

"Hey Zach, are you liste—"

He started kissing me.

He was kissing me.

Again.

_Second time now_.

And I was kissing him back.

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

**Guys, you have no idea. I was screaming while writing this. I just want them to be together and ALL! **

**But yeah.**

**It's not the END yet, though.**

**Anyways, please review!**


	18. Chapter 18

When I pulled away, I still couldn't believe it. _Zach and me? Zach and I? _What the fuck. If I hadn't pulled away we would've kissed for forever. I just didn't understand how, and why. I had this fear that maybe I was just hallucinating, but no…my lip gloss was transferred to his lips, and it was smudged all over his mouth. I could taste his tongue in my mouth. I could still feel his soft lips. WHAT THE HELL? I was sure as hell I wasn't dreaming.

"I really have to go right now." he was catching for his breath as he disappeared from my sight. He just left me there, how could he? How could he just leave me with nothing but a…I didn't even know what it was. But he bit my lip.

I didn't even dare tell Liz about our second kiss for I know it will just complicate things, and it would turn her into a warfreak, and I didn't want that. There were things that only Zach and I should know and maybe _that_ was one of those things. I could live forever without telling anybody about what happened. It would be really fine if he wanted it to be our little secret. It would be really cool. I had no problems about that.

"What's up girlie?" Macey took the seat in front of me. I suddenly realized I was in a coffee shop and it was really stupid of me to still drool about the kiss.

"Hey Macey." I smiled, taking a sip of my iced coffee.

"Why you alone?" _Why do you even care?_

"What do you mean? Don't I have the right to be alone?"

"No, not that. You really want me to be straight-forward? Why is Zach not with you?" she said without pausing. She was threatening me. I could feel it.

"We're best friends, all right? But that doesn't mean we can't hang out with other people." I explained to her but she was obviously not convinced about this.

"Maybe because of the kiss, you mean?" she raised a brow, examining me. At first I thought she was pertaining to the long kiss last night but I realized Zach and I kissed twice, and what Macey was pertaining to was the first one. The very unexpected, all-of-a-sudden, forced, and lame one.

"Didn't I explain it to you already?"

"Maybe I want to hear the truth now." she put down her coffee and stared at me.

"I told you once, not gonna tell you twice."

"You know I pity you. And Zach too. I mean, come on everybody knows there is chemistry and everything all you have to do is admit it to yourselves. I'm not saying this just because I want to say something. I'm not giving soliloquies for nothing. Maybe you might want to listen to me." Man. Wow. That was like an Oscar speech.

"Alright, you're wrong. There's no Chemistry, Physics, Biology between us, there's—"

"It's not even funny." She pursed her lips, looking so serious.

"That's because it's not a joke."

"Yeah, cause it's a lie, Cammie." She smirked.

"It's a lie to you because it's not what you want to hear. Can you snap out of it already? There. Is. Nothing. Going. On. I told you, he kissed me because of your lame game." I snapped but she wouldn't even wince. I figured she was used to people talking to her like this.

"You wanna know my theory? He kissed you because there was no other time and chance. And he couldn't help it anymore. Has it ever occurred to you that maybe he'd been dying to kiss you for years and he just had the guts to do it now because maybe he thought you wouldn't want it?"

That girl.

"You said it yourself, it's a theory. Not a law." I smirked and she narrowed her eyes toward me as she took a sip of her coffee.

"Just think about this. If you don't tell him now that you like him too, he would look for a girl who would. And you know what will happen to you? You're gonna regret it for the rest of your life."

So much for the drama. We were only in high school. What was the talk with _forever?_

"Okay." I said.

"Shit. You're annoying. If you don't tell him, you're gonna regret it. Just tell him and if he doesn't feel the same way, that's fine. At least you told him."

"Alright."

"You suck. You know that?"

I just grinned at her.

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

**I'm so sorry it took me so long.**


	19. Chapter 19

"Cammie! I didn't expect you coming!" Grant was running and the moment he was near me, he grabbed my body to his and wrapped his arms around me. Everybody looked at us. We were all at the school's rooftop where the band rehearsed. Zach was there.

"Yeah," I smiled weirdly. I felt dumb being there. I shouldn't really have come, it was like rubbing to Zach's face _I didn't feel anything, in your face!_

"I'm so happy you're here," he said when he'd pulled away. "Just wait for a few moments, we're going to rehearse one last time."

I nodded and smiled as he went back to the band. I almost laughed when I saw him get the triangle. Was this some kind of joke? Was he really playing the triangle for the band? I really thought that was a joke.

"Hey there girlie," _I shouldn't have even thought about whose voice it was. _Macey. Of course. Nobody called me girlie.

"Hey." I said without looking at her. My eyes were fixed on that darn triangle Grant was clicking and clicking as the guitar was being played.

"Nah," Macey let out a disgusted sound. "He's just kidding 'bout the triangle thing. He knows how to play the guitar."

I let out a relieved sigh. How could I even _think_ he was actually playing the triangle for the band? Like it would change the song if he wasn't playing it.

"Oh, okay." I said, feeling so dumb.

"So have you told him yet?" Macey nudged my elbow slightly.

CAN YOU SNAP THE HELL OUT OF IT?

"No." I said, concealing the rage in my voice. Seriously, I shouldn't have come here. It would've been better if I hadn't.

"Okay," she blocked my sight.

"I'm watching them play, Macey, can you please—"

"If you don't tell him I will."

"What the fuck?" I snapped and I was sure as hell the band players got distracted and so were the other people watching them play. Grant grinned at me but I didn't have the strength to smile back. Zach was so focused on the drums, his head was banging slightly.

"Woah," Macey giggled. "You wouldn't have reacted that way if I wasn't wrong about your little fantasy for your best friend."

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head. Such a disturbed kid.

"Tell him," I dared. "Let's see if he'd believe you. He wouldn't even listen to you, I'll bet."

"What do you bet?" she smirked. "If he listened to me, would you tell him yourself?"

I ignored her but she kept on blabbing.

"Deal?" her eyes widened.

"No." I said.

"Fine." She breathed. "Spend your life just drooling over him when you could actually have him _right now_."

I bit my lip hard, stopping myself from saying any word to her.

"I'm so sure that if you go up there and kiss him, he'll definitely kiss you back." Macey stared at me, not even blinking. "Just kiss him now."

MACEY IS SO WEIRD.

"Alright," I laughed. "If you're really into kissing Zach, why don't you kiss him yourself?"

"Well maybe because I don't like him and he doesn't like me? And because it's not the point. You're just changing the topic." Macey smirked.

"Because you talk crap." I spat.

I expected her to slap or curse me but she just grinned. "Uh-huh. I think you're really cute and funny….trying to pretend you don't like him? Nice. But it's so obvious, Cammie, so just cut it off and tell _him_."

"If I don't?" I raised my eyebrow.

"Then…" Macey licked her lips and pointed secretly to a girl. "She'll have him."

The redhead.

Taylor?

"Taylor, right?" I said coolly.

"Uh-huh," she nodded, smiling. "Did Zach tell you about her? I'm sure it sucks to know you got competition, but that's okay, Cammie. Zach would choose you, so don't worry. Tell him now."

I rolled my eyes to this.

"What?" she snapped. "Still not telling?" she started walking backwards. My heart beat to the beat of the drums. SHE COULD JUST _NOT _TELL HIM!

But why the hell was I so anxious? It wasn't like what she was going to tell him was true. And it wasn't like he would believe her.

She was just a few feet away from the drumset when the song had ended and everybody cheered and clapped.

"MACEY!" I mouthed.

She just grinned wickedly. I ran right away to her and pulled her away from the drumset, Zach frowned at us then rolled his eyes.

"Stop this, Macey!" I hissed.

"What?" Macey giggled.

"Just stay out of this, will you?"

She shrugged, again, pointing secretly to the redhead who was now approaching Zach and kissing him full on the lips.

"I'll stay out of this." She said.

For a moment I just stared at the two of them, and you know the feeling that you were just hanging? Like you were on the edge of a cliff, just waiting to fall.

"What's the problem sweetie pie?" Macey whined. "Why so upset?"

I frowned, looking away. "I'm not upset."

"Oh yes, you are." She grinned. "I told you if you'd kissed him a while ago, the redhead wouldn't have had the chance to kiss him."

I rolled my eyes ignoring her but she wouldn't even back down. She kept on talking. Non-stop even when I left the rooftop already she kept on following me like a shadow. Not just a shadow. A very _annoying and noisy_ shadow.

"CAMMIE! Are you even listening? I'm telling you your time is running, you can't always hide your feelings, you know."

Ugh. Coming from Macey? I don't think so.

"Uh-oh." Macey bit her lip, walking backwards again and then running upstairs again, leaving me alone in the hallways. What the fuck is wrong with this girl?

"Hey hold up there." _His_ voice echoed in the hallways. I just felt my legs froze when I heard his voice. Shit. I just hated this.

Before I knew it he was in front of me already, and as usual, I could smell his aftershave and perfume. That same smell I never really got tired of.

I swallowed and of course, I couldn't speak.

"What's up with that?" I could hear his breathing. I was so distracted I barely even heard him.

"What?"

He frowned. "Why did you just walk out?"

"Macey was being a bitch." I said through my teeth.

"Oh yeah? Why?" he asked, I just couldn't help but look away. Those eyes, when they looked at me…damn it.

"Some lame thing." I said to the floor and when I'd looked up, he was totally pained. His eyes weren't _threatening _anymore, they were…full of regret or something. I didn't know. I didn't want to analyze anymore.

He pulled something from his ear, something like an earphone, just a little bit weird.

"I heard what you two talked about."

GAME.

IS.

OVER.

CAMMIE.

DIE.

DIE.

DIE!

Why hadn't I thought that a gossiper like Macey would have those spy gadgets? I shouldn't have talked to her in the first place.

"What about it?" I licked my lips. There was something in the pit of my stomach, I felt like puking or something but it was pure anxiety I couldn't get out of my system. My heart was beating abnormally and I was sure I was going to faint.

"You're never gonna tell me, are you?" he whispered.

I frowned. "What?"

He didn't say anything, you know, he just looked at me waiting for me to say something but I couldn't. I just didn't know what to say to him. Maybe I knew but I just didn't know if I should say it or not.

"You know, Taylor's not my girlfriend." He said softly.

I hated looking at him. I hated his face. He looked so sad and down, and so upset. He looked like he was hanging on to me. Waiting for me to say something…

"Zach," I took his hand and surprisingly, he allowed me to.

"If you're not ready to tell me, it's cool." He swallowed, slowly pulling away.

"Wait—" I bit my lip hard. I needed to say this. If not now, then when? I might not get the chance and he probably— "I like you, alright there you go you win. Asshole."

His face turned three hundred sixty degrees from a totally depressed and regretful state into a _I-can-die-now_ face. His cheeks were flushing and his eyes could barely be seen because he was smiling too widely and biting his lip once in a while to stop himself from smiling. He was catching for his breath although he wasn't doing any strenuous activity, he was just there standing infront of me but he was panting.

"Well?" I croaked, hoping he'd just stop smiling and answer me back. Didn't he know how weird it was for a girl to confess first before a guy? That was more than risking everything. That was my dignity I risked there.

He shrugged, still smiling. "Well…what?"

I would seriously _KILL_ this guy!

"Nothing." I said. If he didn't want to answer me, then I'd have to take my statement back. "What I said? That's not true. I was just kidding."

He burst out laughing. "'Course not!"

"How sure are you?" I said with a poker face.

"Positive." He smirked, and judging by the look on his face, he wasn't going to say anything to me. Really? I actually laid down my guards for him, I actually found the courage to confess but all he did was smile and laugh.

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever."

"You like me?" he giggled. "That's cute, Cammie. Really cute."

I wasn't liking his tone. I wasn't liking this.

"Yeah." I said almost inaudibly. I was sure as hell he wasn't going to say _it_ today, how could I tell him I liked him? I wasn't even sure he liked me back. Why did I even listen to that Macey?

"Yeah." Zach bit his lip then chewed on it.

I had to get out of here.

"Bye."

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

**So yes. It's not yet OVER.**

**Probably a few more chapters? **

**You read that right, Cammie admitted it already but Zach didn't.**

**What do you think?**

**Do you hate me now for doing this?**

**I'm so sorry. I just don't want it to be so easy.**


	20. Chapter 20

**HELLO GUYS. I don't know if this is good news but this will be the FINALE chapter of the story. I really think 20 chapters are enough to tell their cute story. I don't really want to prolong the agony. **

**So yes, this is the last. I hope I did justice to ZAMMIE.**

**AND PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, leave a review for this chapter. To those who were lazy to log in before but likes this story, please just find time to make a review for the last chapter so I'd know what you think.**

**Yeah.**

**Long live Zammie.**

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

"Cammie, my dear," Mom kissed the top of my head while Dad blew me a kiss. Apparently, they were _cooking_ in the kitchen. _Cooking_. Oh God. No, please. Please make them let me eat dinner outside.

"Your summer's running out, huh?" Dad grinned at me and I just rolled my eyes. He had to remind me.

"How's your six weeks of summer so far? Do you have any idea what to do with the last week?" Dad grinned again, chopping parsley slowly.

LAST WEEK?

I still got two weeks!

"Uh…my summer's fine. I'm going to chill for the next two weeks."

"What about Zach?" Mom turned to me.

I knew she was going to ask about him. I could feel it even before she even spoke. She'd been a really huge fan of Zach's ever since.

"He's cool, rehearsing for a band number." I said coolly, grabbing for a slice of bread on the counter. My mom hit my hand lightly, eyeing me to drop the bread.

"Don't spoil your dinner, sweetheart." Dad winked.

As if I'd really eat _the dinner_ they were preparing. "Yeah, right." I smiled, dropping the loaf.

"So what's up with Zach?" Mom asked again.

"Band number, right?" Dad interrupted.

I nodded.

"Wow, I'd really like to hear him sing." Mom giggled with Dad.

"Mom," I said flatly. "He doesn't sing. He just plays the drums."

"Oh," Dad shrugged, turning to Mom. "Well maybe there's always first time for everything."

Oh please.

"Nice." I bit my lip, making my way to my room silently. I could hear Mom whispering to Dad.

"Hold up there." Mom said lowly while I was making my way out of the kitchen.

"Yeah?" I turned to her.

"We're going to have dinner with Zach and his mom. Go change, they'll be here in an hour or so." Mom said.

"Mom, I'm—" The last time, _we_ were the ones to go to Zach's house, and now, Zach was to go to our house? Mom was always perfect timing.

"I told you she's going to refuse to come to us." Dad nodded to Mom.

"No. The last time we arranged dinner with them you refused coming. You have to stay here, have dinner with us." Mom said firmly. What could I do, she was the mother?

**NEXT~TO~YOU**

Well, the dinner was awkward. I wasn't expecting Zach to come but yeah he was there and we sat next to each other. We smiled fakely at each other so that neither of our parents would think something was going on.

But wait a minute, what was going on, exactly?

So yeah I told him I liked him he turned me down, so what? That happens a lot of times. It wasn't actually a rare thing.

Mom, Dad, and Mrs. Goode left Zach and I in the house. Mrs. Goode just informed them about this birthday party of their colleague, and of course, my parents wanted to come. The result was—I was alone with Zach. But that didn't matter a lot because we weren't saying anything to each other anyway and I was in front of the TV and he was nowhere to be seen outside my house. I just wished he'd just leave.

Once in a while I'd check out if his car was gone but it was always there. Why couldn't he just leave? Zach being in my house was just totally pointless.

I flipped onto the channels lamely, my chin rested on my right hand while my left hand did the remote flipping-channel thing. For a moment I wanted to be in school already. Summer was just…very unpredictable and boring. I missed the old times.

"Hey." It wasn't even a cheerful voice. It was as flat as paper.

"Yeah?" I said without turning my head to him.

He bit his lip and moved towards me. He looked annoyed. "Wait," he grabbed for the remote and switched it off. I let out a curse. "I'm gonna show you something."

He was pulling me to the backyard of my house. That was actually _my_ house. Like there was a surprise there, you know the usual romantic roses, candles…ugh.

But there wasn't any change in the backyard. It was still the same. Pool, grass, and all those stuff.

"Do you remember when you pushed me to the pool when we were six?" he asked, not looking at me. I didn't say anything although I could remember it. We were six and we had a fight and I pushed him to the pool, he almost drowned but yeah he didn't. He took swimming lessons so he was able to save himself. Nobody said anything about it. I didn't tell my parents or his parents about it and he didn't too.

He faced me, moving closer. THAT DAMN AFTERSHAVE!

"You never really made up for it, right?" he asked. I just swallowed. Maybe I didn't.

Before I even knew it, I was pushed into the pool. It happened in a split second, I didn't even get the chance to curse him.

What the hell was he thinking? That I would drown? Like that would happen. We both took swimming lessons. And this pool was not too deep to kill me.

In a few seconds, he jumped into the pool too, clothed, like me.

"What the fuck is wrong with you jerk?" I said, spitting water. Yeah I didn't drown but I swallowed liters of water. And it wasn't just water. It was chlorinated water.

"You know I never ever hated you, never. Pushing me to the pool when we were six was the only thing you did that enraged me, and now we're even—" he moved closer to me. I should be doing something else but I just froze in front of him.

It happened again.

For the third time now.

And yes, in the pool.

His lips were so soft and his hands did the most wonderful things in the world—I couldn't even explain. He was kissing me hungrily, I was sure he didn't care if I'd get hurt.

"Now we're even…I can now tell you I like you. Actually that's wrong," he said, his hands firm on both of my cheeks. "I just don't like you. I love you.

WHEN WILL I BE ABLE TO GET OVER THE AFTERSHAVE?

"Always have. Always will." He grinned. "I just—I just didn't think you'd feel the same for me. Because we're best friends and we're supposed to just stay that way. Shit! This started when we were in Sophomore year…you remember the Sophomore Night? When you wore that…ugh! I was like.._what the fuck, why am I even best friends with this girl_?" he laughed. "I just—I didn't know how to tell you because I knew it would enrage you if you knew. And when you started hanging out with Grant, I just couldn't take it. It sucks."

He didn't hear anything from me.

"Any reaction? Hello…I just said I love you." he laughed anxiously. HE WAS SO CUTE. And the AFTERSHAVE.

Cammie. JUST SNAP OUT OF THE AFTERSHAVE!

"And you had to push me into the pool!" my voice croaked and he was just laughing at me. If he didn't look so gorgeous with his hair flat and wet, I would've drowned him there.

"I knew you'd walk out on me if I start talking so I thought that if you were in the pool, it would be difficult for you to walk out on me." he grinned, pushing me to the wall of the pool. He pushed himself hard on me then started kissing me again. And of course you know what I did. I kissed him back.

He bit my lip.

"Shit!" I said through his kisses and he just laughed to my mouth.

"Blame yourself. You're so kissable." He giggled, kissing me again.

"WHOAA!" a lot of people came rushing from my house, in their swimming attire, they all widened their eyes at us. Macey, who looked so…sexy? in her bikini took a shot of us using her phone.

"That's sneaky, Cammie!" she yelled. "Sneaky!"

Liz' mouth hung open. Damn it, why was everybody in our school even here?

"I told them to come here, don't worry." Zach whispered to my ear, then started nibbling on my earlobe. AND HE STILL HAD THE GUTS TO BE HORNY! "I wanted everybody to know about us so I told them to come over even before all of this happened."

I frowned at him, pulling away. "What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing. I just want them to know you're taken. And so am I." he grinned.

"Do you have any idea how embarrassing this is for me?" I said almost inaudibly so only Zach would hear it.

Everybody ignored our supposedly _lovers' quarrel_ and jumped into the pool, throwing drinks at each other. Macey was pushing something that looked like a DJ booth and then Preston was behind her, holding a laptop. It seemed like Preston was going to be the DJ for the very surprise party. So surprising the owner of the house didn't even know about it. I wondered how Mom and Dad would react if they found out.

"Are you mad?" Zach asked, moving closer to me again. "I'm sorry. I just wanted them to know about us already. I can't wait for tomorrow to tell them."

I rolled my eyes. Why was I even mad about this? This was actually what I wanted. It was happening now.

"I planned this, alright?" Zach blushed. "So yeah.." he pulled my body against his again, his hands firmly gripping my waist. "That's alright, right?" he grinned.

I nodded, starting to smile. It was more than alright.

He was kissing me again, and we kissed for hours there in the pool. Everybody was throwing drinks at us because we wouldn't even stop kissing to breathe. It was funny, actually. Kissing Zach like this. We weren't exactly kissing, we were making out. And it was funny because he was my best friend.

"Get a room!" Macey yelled, taking pictures of us again. Bex nodded at me, Grant was beside her. I didn't want to conclude things but Bex and Grant looked like they were—I'd leave it like that.

"Let's just dry up and go somewhere else." I said when I pulled away from his kiss.

"Why?" Zach grinned, catching for his breath.

"This is _my_ house. If my parents see us. If your mom sees us. I'm not ready to explain to them—" he cut me off with a kiss.

"You look so cute when you get nervous." He grinned.

"Well…aren't you?"

"They won't be here soon, okay?"

I frowned and just nodded. Zach licked his lips, grinning wickedly.

"What?" I laughed. He looked dumb.

He laughed too. "Nothing, cutie. You're just so sexy."

I rolled my eyes. "Sure, sure."

Liz giggled at the sight of us, Macey took a lot of pictures (which she'd be posting on her blog, of course), and Grant, he just smiled at me. I thought he already knew even before. That I never really belonged to someone else. I belonged here with Zach.

Next to him.


End file.
